FIM: Sailor Moon Style
by SonicPrime972
Summary: In an alternate dimension, a group of six girls, who bear a sticking resemblance to the Mane 6, are chosen by the spirit of Princess Celestia to bear the Elements of Harmony and save their world from evil spirits from Equestria. But will they be able to summon the true power of their Elements and work as one to save the world? But the real question is, do they even want to? Enjoy!
1. Introduction

**Hey, guys, I found the manga-like comic for this story on deviantArt, so I figured I'd make it into a full-fledged story. Now, really quick, per the manga writer, mauroz, the Elements of Harmony in this story also have power over select elements like water, earth, and nature.**

 **In an alternate dimension, a group of six girls, who bear a sticking resemblance to the Mane 6, are chosen by the spirit of Princess Celestia to bear the Elements of Harmony and save their world from evil spirits from Equestria. But will they be able to summon the true power of their elements and work as one to save the world? But the real question is, do some of them even want to? Based off the "Friendship is Magic" comic by mauroz from deviantArt.**

 **Please leave reviews, enjoy, and check out the actual comic on deviantArt. The URL is on my page.**

 **Introduction**

 _Twilight's POV_

My name is Twilight, I am fourteen. My parents, my little brother Spike and I just moved into this beautiful town, Ponyville.

There is also my big brother Shining and my big sister Celeste. They no longer live with us though. Celeste is an accomplished explorer who is traveling all around the globe looking for antique relics.

It was her precisely who suggested we moved to Ponyville. Every week we email each other, no matter how far she may be. It's almost like having her back home.

Today is my first day in a new school. Can't say I'm excited, I am not really a social person. I would rather spend my afternoon in a library than socialize with the rest.

 _Normal POV_

Twilight, a young Caucasian girl with moderate sapphire blue hair streaked with purple and rose, and purple eyes, wearing a uniform like that you might see in a Japanese high school, was carrying a bag in front of her legs towards a school as she remembered her big sister's last email.

"Greetings sis!" she remembered it saying. "I am sending this message early because I know you will be in class soon. I hope you have a good day and make many friends! P.S. I hope you got the gift I sent you, make good use of it!"

"I wonder what that thing sis is sending over is," she thought. "Should arrive sometime today, I wonder what it is." Just that moment, as Twilight entered the school premises, a young girl with hair like cotton candy passed by her but suddenly stopped in her tracks upon seeing Twilight. Then she zipped up and shook her hand vigorously.

"Heeeeey there!" she said. "You're new here!"

"Um… yes, hi…" said Twilight. "How could you tell I'm new here?"

"I know absolutely everyone in this whole school!" she replied. "My name is Pinkie, what's yours?"

"Tw…Twilight…" she said, nursing her hand. Then Pinkie grabbed it again and shook it even more vigorously.

"Ooooh! Nice. To. Meet. You. Twilight!" she said. "I'm sure we'll be good friends in no time!" Then she grabbed Twilight in a hug, her cerulean eyes turning into stars at her idea. "I have a great idea! This weekend I'll throw you a big welcome party! A pleasant surprise, isn't it? Eh? Eh?!"

"Um… yeah…" said Twilight. "But I'm not really the loud type. I'm more of a nice quiet place type…"

"That's silly!" said Pinkie. "What kind of party would you have in silence? A boring party, that's what kind. With a party like this, I assure you'll make many friends, so you won't have to be a sad, lonely girl, but instead a happy one with lots of friends!"

"Does she ever stop talking?" thought Twilight. Suddenly, another girl with rainbow-colored hair rushed in at a tremendous speed, knocking Twilight and Pinkie to the ground.

"All right! Finally made it in time for school!" she said.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" said Twilight angrily.

"Tcht, tcht. Quiet, little girl." said the rainbow-haired one.

"'Little girl'?" asked Twilight, holding her hand over the girl's head. "Look who's talking."

That really got her ticked off. "I'm thirteen, okay?!" she said. Then a blonde girl walked by while reading and knocked the rainbow-haired girl over.

"Comin' through…" she said in a southern tongue. Apart from her attitude, she was actually quite beautiful.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" said the rainbow-haired one. The blonde looked right over her and didn't see her, so she just went back to her book.

"Hmm, there's nobody here," she said, ticking off the rainbow-haired one.

"Nobody? How dare you!" she said. Then someone walked up and pushed her over.

"Make way for our beloved class president!" she said. Then a girl with curly purple hair walked up.

"Who's that?" asked Twilight.

"That's Rarity," said Pinkie. "She's the most popular girl here, also the elected class president… Oh! And she's really into fashion!" Then Rarity clapped her hands together.

"Come on now everybody, it's school time," she said. "May everyone have a fabulous day!" Then a girl with pale pink hair walked over to the rainbow-haired one on the ground.

"What are you doing down there, Rainbow?" she asked.

"Nothing at all," said Rainbow. "Let's just get to our classroom, Fluttershy."

"Oh… Ok," said Fluttershy and she and Rainbow walked away.

"That's one timid girl," thought Twilight.

"See you in class, Twilight!" said Pinkie as she walked away.

"Wait!" said Twilight as she followed her. As she went in, she didn't notice one last girl watching over her from afar with a glare in her eyes.

One busy school day later, Twilight was finally back at her apartment. "Phew! It's nice to be back home at last," she said. "First day is always tiring…" she thought as she went to her room to find her green-haired little brother Spike at her desk.

"He… Hey Twilight," he said nervously. Seeing her brother in her room, Twilight went berserk and started yanking on her cheeks.

"SPIKE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY ROOM?!" she shouted.

"I was just using your computer." said Spike.

"Were you snooping around my stuff?" asked Twilight.

"Not at all…" said Spike, handing her a box. "You got a package from Celeste by the way."

"Goody! It's finally here!" she said, putting it on her lap before she looked at him almost accusingly. "You didn't open it, did you?"

"What? Who do you think I am?" he asked gesturing to the tape. "Look, completely unopened!" Twilight looked at it before she looked back at Spike.

"You may leave now." she said simply.

"Yeah, right after I see what's inside…" he began.

"GET OUT OF MY ROOM!" she shouted so loud it could be heard from outside the building. One hour later, Twilight got back to the package wearing a lavender nightgown.

"Now after a shower and all cozy, let's see what she sent," she said, opening the box. "Nice, it's a book! I love books." Then something else caught her eye. "Oh? What's this?" Then she pulled out a small disk with six different colored and shaped gems. "Six jewels?" They were a magenta six-pointed star, a red lightning bolt, a light blue balloon, a purple diamond, an orange apple, and a pink butterfly.

"There's a note too," she said, reading it. "Let's see… 'For you and your friends'. No friends yet, sis." Then she saw something else. "And what about this?" Then she pulled out a small tiara with a purple unicorn horn on it.

"How cute, a toy tiara…" she said. "There's another little note… 'Wear it so you may know its secret'. What's with Celeste and these messages?" Then as soon as she tried it on, the horn and her eyes started glowing as a bright light filled the whole room. Soon she woke up in a misty area with no clue as to where she was or how she got there.

"Huh? What's going on?" she asked. "Where am I?"

"A different plane of reality," said a voice.

"Ack! Who are you?!" asked Twilight as she faced a large white winged unicorn with gold shoes on her hooves, a gold war crown, and a gold necklace with a large purple plate embedded in it.

"I am but a tiny piece of a spirit," she said. "I belong to the alicorn named Celestia."

"I'm not sure I'm following what's going on here." said Twilight, confused.

"Allow me to explain," said Celestia. "First off, you must know there is a myriad of alternate dimensions, one of which is a realm called Equestria. This realm was inhabited by magical ponies alongside other enlightened animals. A long time ago, I ruled over them along my sister Luna. I ruled over day, she ruled over night. Together we created a perfect harmony. However that is as much as this piece knows regarding that era."

"As I told you, I am merely the tiny piece of her spirit residing in that horn you're holding. As such, my knowledge is very limited."

"This thing?" asked Twilight, looking at her horn. "I thought it was a toy tiara."

"Close, but no," said Celestia. "Centuries ago, in this world, there was a civilization known as 'the Bronies', humans who paid tribute to the princesses of Equestria as if they were goddesses. Information on the Bronies, however, and when the found out about Luna and Celestia is also limited."

"But you haven't explained!" said Twilight. "Why are you appearing before me?"

"You have within you the spirit of one of the Elements of Harmony, it allowed me to reach you." said Celestia.

"'Elements of Harmony'?" asked Twilight.

"It's a force composed of six essences," said Celestia. "The elements are honesty, loyalty, laughter, kindness, and generosity. You hold the element of magic. To my knowledge, these elements were used by the princesses to stop a creature of pure evil. This is the reason I am appearing before you. You have been chosen to protect your world from a terrible menace."

"I what?! Surely you're kidding!" said Twilight, terrified.

"You can't do it alone. Have you noticed the jewels that came with the horn?" asked Celestia. "The jewel representing magic, along with your horn, will allow you to use the magic within your spirit in the human world. For the time being, your task is to find the other five holding the spirit that will allow them to access the elements."

"But why must we protect this world?" asked Twilight. "What is the menace we face?"

"I'm sorry. Only the real Celestia knows the truth," said the spirit. "But she decided to send the Elements of Harmony to this world, leaving them in the hands of the Bronies, along with two prophecies."

"'Prophecies'?" asked Twilight.

"The first prophecy says 'When the moon turns red, a girl will be born and she'll bring the vengeance of the exiled princess with her'," said Celestia. "However, the second prophesy is the one holding the most significance; 'When day is devoured by night and the sun and the moon become one, a bright flash will forewarn the coming of the Harbinger of Chaos, Hate and Discord. All his eyes set their gaze on shall fall into despair and disharmony'. After writing these prophecies, it is said Celestia was reborn into this world as a human being."

"And who could Celestia be in this world?" asked Twilight.

"Whoever managed to extract the horn and jewels from their ancient ruins." said the spirit and smiled.

"But it was my sister Celeste who sent me these…" thought Twilight until it clicked. "Oh! It's her! She's Celestia's reincarnation, isn't she?"

"Some other time, I shall tell you how to use magic. For now, you must go," said Celestia as the horn started glowing again. "Remember to find the other five with the spirits of harmony…"

"Wait! Princess Celestia!" cried Twilight.

"'Wait, Princess Celestia'?" asked Spike. "Even your dreams are weird." Twilight looked and saw she was back in the real world and saw Spike in her chair looking at her.

"I TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM MY ROOM!" she shouted again. Elsewhere, the girl who was glaring at her that morning was standing on top of a radio antenna with a tiara similar to the one Twilight was wearing.

"I was right," she thought. "She is one of the holders of the Elements of Harmony." Then a large pair of ethereal wings materialized and spread behind her. "Soon I shall enact vengeance on those who shunned me in my past life. Especially you, Celestia."


	2. Chapter 1 part 1

**Chapter 1 part 1**

The next morning, Twilight was still disturbed by what happened the night before. She still thought it was a dream until her sister Celeste video called her on her laptop the night before. She explained what happened, and her sister's reaction wasn't what she was expecting.

"Twilight, that wasn't just a dream," she said. "You really did travel to another place. But I'll explain how it happened some other time. But I want to know… Did you make any friends at school?"

"Celeste, yesterday was my first day, and you know I'm not very sociable." said Twilight.

"Did you at least talk with someone?" asked Celeste.

"Well…" thought Twilight. "I met a girl named Pinkie, but she's really weird. She couldn't stop laughing and she wouldn't leave me alone…"

"Twilight, never reject someone who wants to be your friend, especially if they want to make you happy," said Celeste, almost like she was reading her little sister's mind.

"Okay… I'll try," said Twilight.

"Remember, use the headband again tomorrow," said Celeste. "Celestia's spirit will teach you how to manipulate your spiritual energy. Meanwhile, I'll read the book I found in the ruins. The one I sent you was just a copy. It's written in a strange dead language, so it'll take a while to transfer the contents and translate it into something you can read. But it contains knowledge and spells you can use once you learn your magic." Later, Twilight was walking to school, but she was still thinking about the last night.

"Can I really use magic?" she thought. When she got to school, she saw Pinkie standing in the entry way. "Oh no! It's Pinkie. Yesterday was so tiring because of her." Quickly, she tried to sneak around behind her. "I better hide. It's too early to get worn out."

"Hmm. It's late and Twilight hasn't shown up yet," said Pinkie as she scanned the horizon.

"I knew it. She is looking for me." thought Twilight. She quickly ran to hide but then she almost bumped into a blonde girl.

"Oh, sorry," she said. "I didn't see you." The blonde didn't seem to have heard her as she kept on reading. "Hmm. Maybe she didn't hear me," thought Twilight when she remembered the day before. "I remember her. She's the one who pushed the girl with the rainbow-colored hair."

She decided that the polite thing to do was introduce herself. "Um… hi! My name's Twilight, and I…"

"I don't care," said the blonde as she walked off, leaving behind a dazed Twilight.

"What is wrong with that girl? Who is she?" Twilight asked.

"Her name's Applejack," said Pinkie, who somehow appeared behind Twilight. "She just moved to the city last month. Truth is, nobody knows why she's so serious all the time."

"AHH! Pinkie! Where did you come from?!" asked Twilight, scared at her sudden appearance

"You're so silly! I was standing in the entry and you didn't even see me! Hahaha…" Pinkie laughed.

"Yeah! Ha-ha-ha…" Twilight laughed worriedly. At the end of the day, the two were walking along the road as Pinkie was sucking on a lollipop.

"You sure you don't want one?" she asked.

"Now I know why you're so hyperactive," said Twilight. Then Pinkie thought of something.

"Twilight… Can I ask you something?" she asked.

"Sure. What is it?" asked Twilight.

"Do I… bother you?" asked Pinkie. Twilight was kind of surprised to hear her ask that.

"Wha… Why do you ask?" she asked.

"For as long as I can remember, others don't like to be around me much," said Pinkie.

"Really? I thought you'd have lots of friends," said Twilight

"They say it's because of my personality," said Pinkie.

"But… if they don't like your personality, why don't you change it?" asked Twilight.

"Because it's my nature," said Pinkie. "I want to share happiness with all the people I know. Especially my friends."

After hearing that, Twilight remembered Celeste's words from the night before. "Twilight, never reject someone who wants to be your friend, especially if they want to make you happy."

"Pinkie, you don't bother me," said Twilight. "It's just that I've never been very sociable. It's hard for me to be around others. It's not your fault." Pinkie perked up after hearing that.

"Thanks, Twilight," she said, smiling. "Hey! Can I sleep over at your house? I've got something super important that I need your help with."

"What? Tonight?" asked Twilight, sweating. "Tonight was when Celestia is supposed to teach me magic," she thought. "But I know Celeste. She'd prefer if I meet more people first."

"Okay Pinkie," she said. "That sounds like a good idea."

"Great! I knew you'd like it!" said Pinkie, grabbing Twilight in a hug. A few hours later, they arrived at Twilight's apartment.

"Mom! Dad! I'm home! And I brought a fr- A classmate!" said Twilight.

"Mom and Dad both went shopping." said Spike.

"Hmm… Okay. Pinkie, this is my brother, Spike." said Twilight.

"Ahh… He's so cute!" said Pinkie, hugging him. "How are you?"

"F… Fine," he said. A few minutes later, the three were in Twilight's room. Spike was on Twilight's laptop and Twilight was guessing what kind of problem Pinkie had.

"Okay Pinkie, what's the problem?" she asked. "Math?"

"No, I'm super good at math." she replied.

"So… English?"

"Nope."

"Don't tell me… History?"

"Hahaha… Noo…"

"So then what do you need me to help you with?" asked Twilight.

"I need you to help me choose the music for your welcome party," said Pinkie. "Maybe we can ask that girl Scratch from my class to help. She's really good at music." Twilight was shocked as Spike turned to Pinkie.

"You're gonna throw a party for her?!" he asked. Pinkie threw her head back to face him.

"Yeah! Isn't it cool?" she asked.

"Yeah. Can I come?" asked Spike.

"Sure! Hahaha…" Pinkie laughed.

"What a waste," said Twilight. "I passed up letting Celestia teach me magic… for nothing." Suddenly, the air felt cold and stale, but only Twilight seemed to notice.

"Brr. What is this? Pinkie, do you feel that? Pinkie?" asked Twilight, but she didn't reply. In fact, she didn't seem to be saying anything. "Pinkie, can you hear me?" But when she touched Pinkie, Twilight realized that not only had she gone silent, but she was completely frozen.

"Oh no! Spike! Something's happened to Pinkie!" she said, but Spike didn't say anything either. "Spike? Spike!"

"He's not moving either!" she thought. Suddenly, Twilight was teleported out to a park not far from her apartment building.

"H-How did I get here?" she asked.

"Good evening," said the girl from the day before.

"Who are you?" asked Twilight.

"I have many names, but you may call me Luna," she said. "I sense you're emitting a powerful aura. Surely your Spiritual Energy was recently awakened."

"What are you talking about?" asked Twilight.

"Simply put, you are the only one not paralyzed by my spell," said Luna. "Something only possible if you are protected by your Spiritual Energy."

"So you're the one who paralyzed Pinkie and Spike," Twilight realized.

"Everyone within the radius of my spell has been frozen," said Luna. "It only takes a small amount of my magic to paralyze normal humans. Except for you. You're protected by your Spirit of Harmony."

"I… I don't know what you're talking about." Twilight lied.

"Don't lie to me, little girl," said Luna. "I can tell your aura was just recently awakened. That's only possible if it was triggered by someone… or something."

"Triggered?" thought Twilight, before it clicked. "I understand. It must've been when I put on that headband that Celeste sent me."

"And only the bearers of the Spirits of Harmony are capable of controlling their Spiritual Energy without prior preparation."

"So… You must also be one of those spirits?" asked Twilight. The girl laughed cruelly and spread a pair of ethereal wings and generated a flame with a moon in it on her finger.

"Insolent child! I am above all of you. For I am the reincarnation of the Alicorn Princess… Luna!" she said.

Meanwhile, at Twilight's apartment, one of the jewels started glowing and freed Pinkie from Luna's spell. She looked and saw that there was one less person in the room.

"Huh? Twilight, where are you?" she asked. "Spike, where'd Twilight go?" But she got nothing from him. Suddenly, she saw a bright flash outside. "What was that?" Meanwhile…

"If you're the reincarnation of Princess Luna, then you must know about Celestia," said Twilight.

"Celestia? What do you know of her?" asked Luna.

"My sister Celeste. She's the reincarnation of Princess Celestia," said Twilight.

"Really? Where can I find her?" asked Luna slyly.

"Sorry… She's not in the city," said Twilight.

"What a shame…" said Luna. "I really want to meet her…" Then her fist started glowing. "To harvest her sacred Spiritual Energy!" Twilight tried to run, but her feet wouldn't listen to her brain.

"W-What's happening? I can't move…" she thought.

"Instead, I'll do the next best thing…" said Luna, charging an enormous blast of magic energy. "I'll take your power, Bearer of the Spirit of Magic!" Then she blasted the attack at Twilight, but just before it made contact, Pinkie leaped in and saved her.

"Pinkie! You saved me!" said Twilight.

"Twilight, you're a meanie! You leave to go play with your friend and you didn't even invite me!" said Pinkie.

"DOES THIS LOOK LIKE PLAYING?! Can't you see she's trying to kill me?" asked Twilight.

"Killing…? That doesn't sound like fun," said Pinkie.

"Really? You don't say," said Twilight sarcastically.

"Don't worry, Twilight. I'll talk to her and get her to stop," said Pinkie as she walked away.

"Pinkie! Wait!" called Twilight.

"Excuse me!" Pinkie shouted up to Luna. "Please don't hurt Twilight. She's my friend."

"What? How did she evade my spell?" thought Luna. "Furthermore, she's not surprised to see me levitating." Then it clicked. "I see… She must have a Spirit of Harmony." Knowing the truth, Luna attacked, her wispy aura whipping around her neck, choking her before she was thrown away like a ragdoll.

"Pinkie!" called Twilight as she ran over and grabbed her. "Please stop hurting her! She didn't do anything to you!"

"Don't you see?" asked Luna. "That girl should have been severely injured from being thrown that far, but she's only unconscious. Her Spirit Energy protected her. That could only mean that she too bears a Spirit of Harmony."

"Pinkie is also a Bearer of Harmony?" asked Twilight.

"Yes, but unlike you, I feel she is more connected to her element," said Luna. "For that reason, I will harvest her Spiritual Energy first. And then… You!"

"No…," said Twilight. "Pinkie is the only one who approached me. The only one who talked to me…" Then she felt a new sense of power. "Pinkie is my friend! I won't let you hurt her!" As her feelings surged, Twilight's body shone and out of nowhere, the Jewel of Harmony representing Magic flew over and appeared on her forehead. She gained a similar symbol on her flank and two strange bracelets, and the Jewel turned into a crystal tiara.

"What's happened to me? My body feels strange," said Twilight as the power flowed through her.

"Hmm. This is unexpected, yet interesting," said Luna. "Now… Face me, girl!"


	3. Chapter 1 part 2

**Chapter 1 part 2**

"Fight you?" asked Twilight. "Don't you see fighting is never the solution…"

"That is something that only cowards say," said Luna. "But if you don't want to begin, I will! Spectra Convicted!" Then four flaming ghost skulls flew from her hands towards Twilight and Pinkie.

"No! What do I do now? If I escape, Pinkie will receive all the damage," said Twilight. "I can't allow it!" Then in her desperation, she instinctively created a barrier with her magic energy, deflecting the skulls.

"What? I did that? Now I understand the significance of magic," she thought, amazed. "Last night, after Celeste talked to me over the computer, I read a bit of the book she sent me, and one of the things I learned is that the Powers of Harmony are based on how connected I am with my emotions. This is the key to using my power.

"Hmm… It really is your first time," said Luna. "I don't like fighting you in your current state, so I will give you a chance; I will let you attack me, and I won't move… In fact, I won't do anything."

"Seriously? You're pretty arrogant," said Twilight.

"I will give you one minute to try something. If you don't try, you already know what happens to you and your friend."

"I only have one chance," thought Twilight. "Perhaps I should try the spell I read at the end of the book. If it's as powerful as the manuscript says, not even Luna will be able to escape…" Then she closed her eyes and started glowing.

"Hmm… She finally decided to attack," said Luna. "Come on; show me what you've got!"

"Please, Elements of Harmony," thought Twilight. "For the safety of my friend, my family, and even my life, help me." With this heartfelt plea, each Element of Harmony emitted a light directed towards Twilight, supercharging her.

"What? What's happening?" asked Luna.

"Thank you," said Twilight. "Friendship's Magic!" Then she launched a huge multicolored beam at Luna, hitting her directly, making the haze from her paralysis spell vanish.

"I… I… did it." panted Twilight, whose armor had vanished. But then…

"Child, what you just did was foolish," said Luna, who had somehow survived.

"No… No, it can't be," said Twilight. "It was a direct hit…"

"I have no idea how you learned that spell, but you need to study it more," explained Luna. "For it to work, you need to reunite the five carriers of the other Spirits, otherwise the attacks will contain only your own energy and nothing else."

"But… I saw how the other energies came to me," said Twilight.

"Only so that you could perform that attack, but in order to obtain the necessary power, you will need to have the others with you," said Luna.

"And… why… do I feel… so exhausted?" asked Twilight, still panting.

"Because of the side effect; It took most of your power, also in this case, because you were the caster, you also lost your transformation and now you are totally exposed to me. What's more, you should know that that spell would not have killed me, only blocked my Spiritual Energy."

"I… already knew that," said Twilight. "It was never my intention to kill you. I just want to know, why are you doing this to us?"

"Very well, I will tell you," said Luna. "It is because of Celestia."

"Celestia?" asked Twilight.

"A person who knows about Equestria's kingdom, as she lived there, told me that in my past life as an alicorn, Celestia locked me away in that world's moon. Can you understand it? She locked away her own sister! And even, all the inhabitants rejected her because she brought on the night."

"Lies! Celestia would never do such a thing without a reason," said Twilight. "And if what you say is true, that happened in another world, so why are you taking revenge n us?"

"Because the person who told me all this also said that currently, Equestria is in Chaos because of a battle that happened there," said Luna. "This prompted Princess Celestia to send over not just the Elements of Harmony, but also the souls of all the inhabitants of her kingdom so that, in the future, Equestria could be returned to its former glory and all those who lived there, if they wished, could return to their world."

"What are you trying to say? That there are people here who used to live in that place?" asked Twilight.

"Exactly, and do you know what's even more important?" asked Luna. "The majority of them live in this city without even knowing what they were in the past and my goal is to seek revenge on all of them. But before that, you and the other Elements of Harmony will feel my wrath." But just at that moment…

"I will not allow it!" said a familiar voice. There before Twilight had appeared…

"Princess Celestia!" she said. And it was. The spirit of Twilight's vision from the night before had appeared out of nowhere.

"I'm sorry for arriving so late, but thank you for using your power," she said. "It destroyed the barrier that prevented me from sensing what was going on."

"Celestia! Finally, we meet!" said Luna, clearly thinking it was the real Celestia. "But why do you appear in your old form?"

"Because you say your problems come from me before," said the spirit. "Then let us face them as we were before." Celestia shot herself directly at Luna, transporting them both to the Astral Plane, turning Luna into her Equestrian form.

"This is how I looked before?" she thought, looking at herself.

"Now that it's just us, tell me; who poisoned your mind with those lies?" asked Celestia.

"You lie!" said Luna. "Or are you saying it's not true that you imprisoned me for a thousand years in the moon of Equestria?"

"Luna, what I remember is the wonderful times when we lived together," said Celestia. "Perhaps they did not tell you about that?"

"Shut up!" shouted Luna.

"You're breaking my heart with all your hatred," said Celestia, tearing up. "And what I must do now, I swear it's not what I wanted. But I must stop you!" Over the next few minutes, the two sisters entered in combat, using all the magic they knew. Even though it was a fight between light and dark, one may expect it to be balanced on both sides of the battle, but for some strange reason, Celestia didn't have the power necessary to defeat Luna, and in the end, Luna won with very little difficulty.

"What happened?" she thought. "What I was told of the old Celestia said she was wise and powerful, but I beat her so easily…" Then she noticed something that shocked her. "It can't be…" Her flank, which, in Equestria, bore a picture of the sun, was blank.

"You don't have a Cutie Mark!" said Luna. "You are not the reincarnation of Celestia! Only a fragment of her spirit!" The spirit chuckled.

"At least you were as easily fooled as the original…" she smirked.

"Now I understand. You're just a distraction so the original can carry off Twilight and her friend, but it will not avail you. I know where they live…"

"You're missing the point," said the spirit. "The original Celestia was not carrying off Twilight, but rather you…"

"What?" Luna asked shocked. Quickly, she left the Astral Plane, but the blue sky she saw when she woke up was surprising. "This can't be happening…" She found herself on a desert island on the other side of the planet. "I HATE YOU, CELESTIA!" she cried at the top of her lungs. Back in Ponyville, Celeste and Twilight were talking.

"Celeste, what did you do?" asked Twilight.

"She will not return to bother you, Twilight," said Celeste. "I put a blocking spell on her. For one year, she cannot enter the city. Nevertheless, in order for it to work, I made a pact in which I am bound never to go near her or this city."

"Celeste, why did you pick me for this?" asked Twilight. "I'm only 14 years old."

"I didn't pick you!" said Celeste. "Believe me, I felt terrible when I found out you were an Element of Harmony. If at least Discord will appear five years later. When you're older, I won't feel this bad."

"Discord?" asked Twilight.

"That is the name of the beast that will threaten the earth when the December eclipse occurs," said Celeste. "I discovered in the ruins that the year of the eclipse, a comet will pass on the same day will weaken Discord's prison, allowing his aura to enter this world."

"Only his aura? Then what's the problem?" asked Twilight.

"If his aura is loose in the world, all humans or animals that absorb his essence will change into beings whose only desire is to create chaos. It will be the end. My intention was to reunite the others without having them transform until the day of Discord's apparition. At that time, they would've used their combined power to create a barrier to stop his aura from entering the world until the eclipse passed and the fissure in Discord's prison disappeared. But Luna's interference has changed everything, now you need to protect this city from what is coming before that beast arrives."

"What… What things are coming?" Twilight asked, almost afraid to.

"I'll tell you later… In any case, you shouldn't worry. You have your companion Pinkie to help you. You should tell her everything and give her her jewel, don't forget…" she said before she realized something. "It is best that I go. Remember, I need to stay far from this city for the spell to work on Luna… Take care of Spike. I left him unconscious so that he wouldn't see that I was here. Farewell Twilight." After that, she teleported away, leaving Twilight alone.

"The ability to save everyone…" thought Twilight. "Ah, it's thanks to Celeste that I'm still alive. And besides, what things are coming to Ponyville?" Then she heard Pinkie moan in her sleep. Then Twilight smiled. "Good. At least I have you to help me, my friend…" Then she felt a strange wetness on her leg and saw something dribbling from Pinkie's mouth. "AH! SHE'S DROOLING!"

Next day, Twilight took Pinkie to an out-of-the-way place and explained everything.

"And after all that's happened Pinkie, now you're a girl with special powers and you need to use them to save the city and the world."

"Hmm… Ok Twilight!" said Pinkie.

"You don't believe a word I just told you, do you?" asked Twilight.

"Of course I believe you, you're my friend," said Pinkie, before she looked at the balloon-shaped jewel Twilight had given her. "Well then, I transform with this… How do I do it?"

"The truth is it's not that easy," said Twilight. "I was only able to transform thanks to you being in trouble…" Then the jewel flew up to Pinkie's head and she gained armbands and a helmet like Twilight's.

"Yay Twilight! Look, I'm transforming." she squealed.

Twilight was shocked. "What…" she stuttered. "B…B…But how did you do it?"

"I just wanted to!" said Pinkie and she laughed as water from the nearby creek flew around her. "Ooooh… I can control water. Nice!" Then she danced around, swaying water around her body until it went solid and trapped her. "Brrr!... Cool!... I can also freeze it!... Brrr…"

"B… B… But how?" asked Twilight, still amazed Pinkie transformed without even trying. Meanwhile, on the island…

"Celestia, I promise I will find you and beat you," said Luna. "And don't think your Bearers are safe from me. That spell only stops me from entering. It doesn't prevent me from sending others to do my work…" Then a figure walked up behind her.

"I finally found you, Princess." he said.

"You? What are you doing here?" asked Luna. "Perhaps your mistress did not understand when I said I did not want to see her again."

"Don't be that way," said the man. "You forget that my mistress took care of you when you were a child."

"She was only using me!" shouted Luna.

"So resentful," sighed the man. "Nevertheless, she worries about you, and she asked me to help you as needed."

Luna was so angry she generated a magic blast and aimed it at him. "Leave! Or your mistress will lose her faithful pet…"

"Calm down," said the man, revealing his green cat-eyes. "It is not my intention to interfere in your business, but I have to tell you something that mat prove useful to you. Your current power is not even half of your true strength. Do you know anything about the Night of the Red Moon? Or to be more specific, do you know the Legend of Nightmare Moon?"

"Nightmare… Moon?" asked Luna.

 **To Be Continued…**


	4. Chapter 2 part 1

**Chapter 2 part 1**

It had been three days since Twilight's encounter with Luna, and already, magical mishaps have come up. Right now, Twilight and Pinkie were up against strange blue dog-beasts, with Twilight struggling against hers.

"Ah! This animal is giving me a lot of trouble." she struggled. "I expect Pinkie has no difficulties with the other…" Then she saw Pinkie making a road of ice and skating along it.

"Hahaha… What fun!" she laughed.

"I can't believe it…" Twilight thought. "You're having fun!?"

"Come on doggie! Ya can't catch me!" said Pinkie as the beast followed her onto the ice. "Gotcha!" Then Pinkie melted the ice under its paws and refroze it around the beast. Then she zipped over. "Good doggie. Now open your mouth…" she said and stuck her hand down the dog's throat before she pulled a brown shard encased in ice out of its mouth. "Here it is! So this is a Discord Jewel…" Then the dog disappeared out of nowhere.

"Pinkie, help me!" called Twilight.

"Still didn't beat em, Twilight?" asked Pinkie.

"Just help me, would ya?" asked Twilight.

"But I already took off my transformation," said Pinkie. "And it wouldn't be fair if it's two against one…"

"ARE YOU GOING TO HELP ME OR NOT!?" asked Twilight, getting angry, even spooking the dog she was fighting.

"Ok… Fine, this doggie is a boy, right?" asked Pinkie.

"I think so. Why do you ask?" asked Twilight.

"Ah! Then it's easy to beat…" said Pinkie. Then, without warning, she shot her leg up and kicked the dog in the nuts, making it cough up the shard before it disappeared. "Yaaaay… Our first victory!" Then Twilight walked over to the shard on the ground, remembering Celeste's explanation for the problems the town was facing.

"When Celestia and Luna fought the beast Discord for the last time before he was locked away, the two sisters inflicted various attacks on him thanks to the Elements of Harmony," she said. "Discord is a beast formed from various creatures, including a dragon. That last part is important. Because of the combined attacks of Celestia and Luna, they caused some of his scales to break off his body. Each scale possesses part of Spiritual Energy from Discord and fell in different places around Equestria in the form of small fragments which I call Discord Jewels. Whatever creature that absorbs a small part of these Jewels become very powerful. The amount of power depends on the size of the jewel fragment they absorb, in doing so, they will also be corrupted."

"Now what is the real problem? Discord, despite being locked away, can manipulate beings who possess one of his scales. As you are able to transform, Discord knows the Elements of Harmony are in this world and will make his possessed monsters come from Equestria into this dimension to destroy them. Right now, the only creatures he can send are really low level, but as the days pass to the December Eclipse, his power rises, enabling beings with much larger jewels to come, and therefore, be much more powerful creatures."

"In the end, here is what I need all of you to do. Stop the creatures from attacking Ponyville. I will take care of the ones that appear in the rest of the world." Then Twilight stomped the Discord Jewel, shattering it.

"We can't stand to do this for much longer with just the two of us. We need to find the others," she said.

"Do you already know how we're going to find them?" asked Pinkie.

"I have no clue how we are, Pinkie." said Twilight.

"I have a plan," said Pinkie. "Why don't we start finding them after school? After all, we met there… And according to your sister, the Spirits of Harmony don't know they were always together."

"And how should we do it?" asked Twilight.

"Bring those jewels and see what reaction they have with the girls from school. Maybe they'll shine like they did for me." theorized Pinkie. Twilight realized that might actually work.

"Pinkie, you're a genius!" she said.

Pinkie laughed. "I'm not a genius. It's just simple logic," she said. (Yeah, I know. Logic from Pinkie Pie? Almost seems impossible.) Then she grabbed Twilight around her neck. "Let's start Mission: 'Find our Magical Friends'!" Next day, Twilight and Pinkie started their hunt for the other Bearers of Harmony, but after checking five people, they still didn't get a reaction from any of them. Finally, they finished without a positive result…

"Maybe they aren't here in this school," said Twilight, but at that moment, the purple diamond jewel started shining.

"Twilight! Look! The jewel is glowing!" said Pinkie before she looked in front of them. "And look who's in front. It's Rarity!"

Twilight was amazed. "Rarity is the bearer of the Generosity Spirit?" she asked. "It's not possible. She's the popular one in school."

"And why is that bad?" asked Pinkie.

"Because it's well-known that popular girls are selfish and only interested in their appearance," said Twilight. "How is it possible that she possesses the Spirit of Generosity?"

"That's only a stereotype," said Pinkie, waving her off. "I have a feeling that she's a good person."

"You've never talked to her?" asked Twilight.

"She's always with the board of students since she's president, they don't let anyone get close to her," explained Pinkie. "Y'know, come to think of it, it's kinda rare to see her without the board behind her." Then they noticed Rarity was gone. "Now where did she go?"

"She escaped while we were talking." said Twilight.

"I told you not to talk so much, Twilight," said Pinkie.

"But you were the one who kept babbling!" shouted Twilight. Later, they were walking along upset.

"Now how will we find her, Twilight?" asked Pinkie.

"It's already kinda late," she replied. "It's better we talk to her at school tomorrow…" Then all of a sudden, the Jewel of Generosity started glowing again. They looked at where they were and were concerned.

"You think Rarity is here?" asked Pinkie.

"Let's go in, but I doubt we'll find her here. It's a shelter," said Twilight.

"Look, Rarity is over there," said Pinkie. Twilight looked and saw Rarity behind the counter in an apron.

"What?! It really is her," said Twilight. "What is she doing here?" she thought.

"HEY RARITY! HELLO!" called Pinkie. Rarity was confused at their sudden appearance.

"Are you from the school?" she asked.

"Yep! My name is Pinkie and she's Twilight," said Pinkie.

"But what are you doing here?" asked Rarity until something struck her. "Oh, I know! You're here to help me, right?"

"What!?" asked Twilight.

"Well of course!" said Pinkie. "What do we have to do?"

"Oh! Thank you very much! How very friendly of you," said Rarity, passing them both aprons. "Put these on. I will tell you what to do."

"Pinkie, what are you doing?" asked Twilight.

"Don't you think that helping her is a better way to understand her?" asked Pinkie. "Also, maybe you can learn that not every popular girl are like what you imagine."

"Agreed, Pinkie," Twilight said reluctantly.

Later Twilight and Pinkie were helping Rarity, learning that she was at the shelter to give poor people free food. They also realized it was really hard work by the number of people that came in. But Twilight was still really confused to see Rarity in a place like this. Later on, they were done and Rarity was talking her boss.

"Thank you for coming," she said to the girls.

"Thank you miss Rarity, for doing all this for us," said the owner.

"It was nothing sir," she replied. "I hope to come back here next Wednesday."

"Not even in my house have I served so many plates," said Twilight.

"But it was fun, don't you think?" asked Pinkie.

"I admit I feel good…" she replied.

"Rarity, you're lucky to have friends like them to help us." said the owner.

"They aren't my friends," said Rarity. "Honestly, this is the first time I've ever seen them."

"Seriously? And yet they came to help," said the owner. "Don't you think they are the types of friends you always wanted to have?"

"Yes?..." said Rarity skeptically as she looked at them. "Maybe you have a point. I'll talk to them so I can get to know them better." Then she walked over. "Thank you, girls, for your help today. Can I sit next to you while I wait for a taxi to drive us home?"


	5. Chapter 2 part 2

**Chapter 2 part 2**

"Rarity? Why aren't your friends from the Student Council with you?" asked Pinkie.

"They aren't really my friends," she replied somberly. "They're only classmates. In fact… I never had real friends."

"And… Why don't you consider them friends?" asked Twilight.

"I always help them. But when I ask them for their help in return, for example here at the refuge, they always find excuses," she replied. "I suppose I'm only hanging out with them not to feel alone."

"Anyway, what are you doing here?" asked Twilight. "This is the last place I thought I'd find you."

"And what did you think? I'm just a popular girl, too selfish to have feelings?" she asked back.

"Yap, that's exactly what she thought!" said Pinkie.

"Pinkie!" said Twilight embarrassed.

Rarity laughed. "I don't like admitting it, but I was just like you imagined my back when I was thirteen," she said. "I only cared about appearance and being the center of attention, and wasn't the least bit interested in helping anyone."

 **Flashback**

"But one day, my mother had a terrible accident. The doctors said she needed a blood transfusion as quickly as possible, but she had a very rare blood type."

"My father put ads in the newspapers, on the radio, even on TV. But for hours, nobody came to the hospital to help. Until late at night, an old man came in."

"From his appearance, you could see he was living on the street. He said he had the blood type my mother needed. They quickly made the transfusion, and that's how my mother's life was saved."

"The generosity of that old man amazed me, especially considering nobody came in during the entire time we waited."

"I just had to ask him why he did it. He didn't have anything to give, and yet he gave his blood to help us. The old man just smiled and said to me 'Little girl, why shouldn't I have done it? Your mother needed help. I simply offered it'."

"'I don't have much, but she only needed some of my blood, and I gladly gave it to her. it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if someone's poor or rich, or what skin color they are, or if they're occidental or oriental. We're all human beings. Never deny your help to those in need. Always be generous, little girl'."

 **End Flashback**

 **Sonic Prime: I think we Americans could learn a lot from that old man, don't you?**

"After that, he left without saying another word," said Rarity. "I never saw him again, and I never found out who he was, or where he came from."

"But his words touched my heart. I also decided to help those who need it the most. Not only out of thankfulness for that old man's deed. His words had also awoken something inside me. A feeling I never had before."

"Because of that, I work as a volunteer every Wednesday, handing out food to people who live on the streets. On weekends, I work in a boutique."

"The money I earn I divide into buying food for the shelter and fabric for my own fashion designs," Then she turned upset. "But I know what I'm doing isn't enough…"

"Rarity, I'm sorry I doubted you," said Twilight. "Your Generosity changed my mind." Then she handed Rarity the Jewel of Generosity. "And for that, this shall be yours."

"Are you giving me a gem?" she asked puzzled, but taking it anyway.

"I'm simply giving it back. It was yours all along," explained Twilight.

"What are you talking about?" asked Rarity, confused.

"I can't really explain it here," said Twilight. "Let's meet near the river by the school tomorrow, after class. I'll show you a big secret of ours."

"I just met you," said Rarity. "What makes you so sure I'll go?"

"Because I know that all you ever wanted was true friends," said Twilight. "Friends you can trust. And I know it because I always wanted it as well. I'm gonna wait for you to come because we'll wait for you there, friend." After that, a cab arrived and the three all went home.

The next morning, at Twilight's apartment, someone started knocking on the door.

"Spike? Can you see who's at the door?" asked Twilight. Spike had just woken up and slowly walked to the door.

"Okay Twilight, I'll check," he said. "I can't believe Mom and Dad never wake up from noise." Soon he had reached the door. "Ugh… Who can it be at this hour?" When he opened the door, he saw Rarity and was instantly starstruck.

"Good morning. Is this where Twilight lives?" she asked.

"Angels do exist," said Spike dreamily.

"W…What?" asked Rarity, slightly embarrassed.

"Spike? Who is it?" asked Twilight, poking her head out of her room. "Rarity?"

"I'm sorry for visiting you so early. I couldn't sleep last night," said Rarity. "I couldn't stop thinking about our conversation last night. Also, this gem you gave me simply won't stop shining. I just don't know what's happening."

"Don't worry about it. Since you're here already, give me a minute to get ready. I'll explain it all to you later at the river," said Twilight. "Spike! Get dressed and get Rarity something to drink, will you?"

"I'm in heaven," he said dreamily. Rarity sweat dropped.

"Stop dreaming and get changed," said Twilight. Later on, Spike had made Rarity some coffee and was daydreaming about her when she started looking at him.

"Spike…" she began.

"W…What can I do for you?" he asked.

"Have we… met before?" she asked. "I've got the strangest feeling I recognize you from somewhere."

"I… really don't think so," said Spike. "I'd never forget someone as beautiful as you are…" Then he covered his mouth. "Did I say that out loud?!"

Rarity giggled. "You did! Thank you, cutie." Then Twilight walked out wearing a purple skirt and a rose t-shirt.

"Rarity, I'm ready to go," she said. "Good thing the school lets us dress casually for the next two days."

"Yes, it is. Finally, the school directorate is deciding to consider dropping those ghastly designed uniforms and let us dress in what clothes we see fit," said Rarity. "I mean, they're only testing it for the next three months, and only on Thursdays and Fridays, but it's a start."

"Spike! Don't forget to wake up Mom and Dad!" said Twilight as the two left.

"Your brother seems very nice," said Rarity. "A true gentleman, even! You seem to have close to nothing in common."

"Maybe that's because Spike isn't my biological brother." said Twilight.

"Really?" asked Rarity.

"Yeah. I have an older brother and sister. When I was about four, my parents wanted another child. But Mom didn't want to go through pregnancy again, so they decided to adopt," said Twilight. "We all went to the orphanage and Mom asked my big sister to choose a new brother since she's the oldest, but she passed the choice on to me. I don't know if it was the color of the cradle or his face, but when I saw him, I had no doubt in my mind that he was our new little brother. It was almost like I had known him all along."

"And does he know he's adopted?" asked Rarity.

"Oh, of course. My parents told him when he was eight. I love like my real brother, though, even though I may not always show it," she said. "Don't tell him I said that though, okay?"

"Don't worry, I won't tell him," said Rarity. "I have a little sister and we always fight. But deep inside we love each other very much. I like to get on her nerves every occasionally, though."

"It's the elder's job to annoy the younger siblings." said Twilight.

"Truth," said Rarity. Spike planned to follow them so he could see where Rarity lives. (Stalker alert.) After class, Twilight and Rarity met at the riverbank. Once they were certain they were alone, Twilight told Rarity everything Celestia's spirit had told her about the Elements of Harmony.

"Then this gem is one of those 'elements'?" asked Rarity.

"Yes, it represents Generosity. And it's glowing like that because it finally found its Bearer."

"Ok! Now what do I do with it?" asked Rarity.

"Well, that part's kinda complicated," said Twilight. "Long story short, we've been chosen to protect the world from a great threat… Hehehe…" They didn't know Spike was behind a tree eavesdropping.

"Twilight, you really need to get out of the library's fiction section…" he thought, not believing a word he had heard. Sadly, Rarity didn't believe her either.

"Is this some kind of joke? You called me out here for this?" she asked. "I'm sixteen! I'm too old for this child's play!" Then she turned on her heel and started to walk away.

"But Rarity… This isn't a joke!" said Twilight. "Pinkie, you and myself are reincarnations of ponies that lived in a kingdom in another dimension-"

"Enough!" said Rarity, having had her fill. "I thought we could be friends… But you only toyed with me." Then a light purple glow shone across the river. Rarity and Spike looked and saw that Twilight had transformed.

"Can you see now?" she asked. "I'm not lying, and I would never dare trick you. Your friendship is important to me." Then Spike came out from behind the tree.

"S…Sis?" he asked.

"Spike!?" asked Twilight. Then a large vortex appeared and a giant purple sea serpent with an orange mustache shot out of the river roaring loudly.

"What is that!?" asked Rarity.

"It's a monster! And it's huge!" said Spike.

"This can't be. Why did it have to appear at this very moment?!" asked Twilight. "You two! Stay back! And Rarity, please take care of Spike for me!"

"Is this truly happening?" thought Rarity. "I can't believe it."

"I'll need a guide to fighting him," said Twilight. "I hope this works." Then she put her fingers to her horn. "I summon the Carrier of Wisdom. Architect of Equestria, Emerge!" Then a magic circle appeared and from it, the silhouette of an alicorn emerged.

"Architect, I need information on how to defeat this creature," said Twilight. Then she looked and saw a white alicorn with light blue eyes and an auburn mane that looked like a filly with a Cutie Mark shaped like a plume and ink vial. "You… are Fausticorn, the Great Sage of Equestria?" she asked. "Celeste fooled me." she thought.

"You don't look like a legendary alicorn that designed Equestria and knows everything about every creature in it." she said.

"And your Magic Level is way too low to summon me in my true form," said Fausticorn. "What you see is what you get for being a Magic Kindergarten Unicorn. But over time, your level will increase and my appearance will be more worthy of me. I will even be able to help you fight."

"Well, right now I only need information." said Twilight.

"Very well, my advice is to… RUN!" she cried and flew away as fast she could with Twilight hot on her heels or lack thereof. The serpent almost managed to swallow her when Twilight quickly jumped out of the way.

"That was way too close." she said.

"Girl, this is what I can tell you about that creature," said Fausticorn. "It's a Level 10 Sea Serpent. If you fall into the river, you're done for. And most importantly, he's very sensitive about his moustache. That's why-"

"Say no more. It's probably his weak spot! Thank you," said Twilight and she leaped at the serpent.

"Girl! No! Wait!" called Fausticorn, but it was no use.

"Blade of Energy!" shouted Twilight, generating a large glowing blade on her arm before she slashed off the right side of the serpent's mustache. "Yes! I did it!" The serpent only had to look at the side of his mustache fall to the ground before he went completely berserk.

"What's happening?" asked Rarity.

"Looks like instead of weakening him, she just made him even angrier!" said Spike.

Fausticorn was steamed as she whacked Twilight in the head with her hoof. "Stupid girl! Don't you allow your elders to finish explaining?!" she asked. "That creature gets very angry when his moustache is cut! If it was already uncontrolled by the Discord Shard, imagining him now after you insulted him by cutting his moustache!"

"It's… your fault for not explaining fast enough," said Twilight, not wanting to take the blame here. Then the serpent saw Rarity and Spike before he shifted his gaze and prepared to attack.

"No! He'll hurt them! I have to do something!" said Twilight.

"Girl, you're only a Level 7 Unicorn. A direct hit from that creature would probably…" said Fausticorn.

"I have no choice. Replacement!" cried Twilight before Rarity and Spike were exchanged for her and she took the full force of the serpent's blast.

"Girl! Answer me! Twilight!" said Fausticorn, worried. Twilight had taken some serious damage.

"Big sister!" called Spike.

"Twilight…" said Rarity. "Nooo!" Then the Gem of Generosity shot up to her forehead as she gained three blue jewels on her flank, bracelets similar to those of the other two and a crown made of gems with a hovering horn.

"Rarity… You too?" asked Spike. Then the serpent readied a blast behind him.

"Spike! Nooo!" called Rarity and she held up her hand, somehow causing a giant hand made of stone to shoot up from the earth and knock the serpent's aim off. "Wait… Did I do that?" she thought.

"Rarity! Come quickly! Twilight needs your help!" called Fausticorn. Rarity and Twilight quickly ran over to her, concerned.

"You can help her," said Fausticorn.

"Tell me what to do," said Rarity.

"You have the ability to move and manipulate earth and stone of any kind," explained Fausticorn. "But as the reincarnation of a unicorn, you can also use other magic."

"I'm a unicorn?" asked Rarity.

"Yes, but your Magic Level is even below Twilight's, so you can only cast four spells;" said Fausticorn. "Extraction, Telekinesis, Transformation, and Emergency Charity. That last one can heal her, but you have to give up part of your own energy."

"Just tell me what to do," said Rarity.

"Put your hands in front of you and say 'Emergency Charity, Twilight'." said Fausticorn.

"Emergency Charity, Twilight!" said Rarity. Then her horn split and green energy came from her head and went into Twilight, healing her wounds, but it was too weak to restore her to full strength,

"You… You saved my life," said Twilight.

"You did the same for me, my friend," said a tired Rarity. "I'm just returning the favor." Then Twilight transformed.

"Let's be partners. Let's end this together," she said.

"Agreed." said Rarity.


	6. Chapter 2 part 3

**Chapter 2 part 3**

"Okay Rarity, you stop it with Earth Magic and I'll destroy its Discord Jewel," said Twilight.

"Discord Jewel?" asked Rarity.

"It's what turned it evil in the first place," said Twilight. "If we survive this, I'll explain in better detail."

"I thought this creature already was evil." said Rarity.

"Wrong. The creatures that inhabit Equestria are usually kind and intelligent beings," said Fausticorn. "The sea serpent is a creature that's particularly concerned about its appearance. That's why it was so offended by Twilight cutting off its moustache."

"He's concerned about his appearance?" asked Rarity. Then a lightbulb went off in her head. "Twilight, hold it! I've got an idea," she said.

"O…Ok, what is it?" asked Twilight.

"Reasoning with it," said Rarity as she walked up to the beast.

"Rarity! Don't!" said Twilight, but Rarity didn't listen as she calmly faced the monster, which readied its next attack, but then it powered down.

"How very unexpected." said Fausticorn.

"Rarity… you did it?" asked Twilight.

"I've got the strangest feeling that, despite our physical differences, we have a lot in common," said Rarity as she raised herself up on a stone hand to be at eye level with the beast. "Thus I want to help." The beast stared down at her but she remained calm.

"I get it now. You're distracting it so I can surprise attack-" Twilight began, but earned another hoof in the head from Fausticorn.

"Stupid girl!" she said. "Stay put and do nothing. She's using her head – something you should start trying for a change…"

"I'm starting to regret summoning her." thought Twilight.

"I'm terribly sorry about what my friend did to your beautiful moustache," said Rarity. "But I believe I can fix it. Just trust me on that." The serpent understood her and bowed his head. Twilight was amazed.

"No way! It's supposed to be under the control of the Discord Jewel! But it's heeding to Rarity!" she said.

"On the inside, those two are very similar," said Fausticorn. "That's why her generosity is more powerful than the jewel's influence."

"How sweet! Calming the beautiful beast with love!" said Twilight. "One should write a book about it."

 **Sonic Prime: I'm pretty sure someone already has, Twilight. If that's true, let me know who did it in the review section.**

"Spike… Please fetch me my purse," said Rarity.

"Y…Yeah," he said and grabbed it for her.

"Rarity, what's your plan?" asked Twilight.

"I'll restore his moustache," she said. "The wind scattered his old one, so I can't just return it. Which means I'll just have to make him a new one."

"With what?" asked Twilight.

"With my precious scarf," said Rarity, pulling a purple scarf out of her purse.

"I've seen you wearing that before…" said Twilight, remembering the day before when she saw it hanging down from Rarity's back. "You're wearing it together with your school uniform! But Rarity, that scarf is invaluable to you."

"Yes I like to use it as a tail of sorts," said Rarity then she laughed. "I guess now it makes sense, seeing that in a previous life, I was a unicorn. It truly is very expensive fabric. But I feel confident giving it to someone who appreciates stylish clothing, like Steven Magnet."

"Steven Magnet?" asked Twilight and Fausticorn.

"Yes, he deserves a fabulous name as well," said Rarity. "And I believe that one befits him well." Then she levitated her scarf up to the stump where his mustache was. "Now I'll use that magic spell you claimed I have… Transformation!" Then in a bright flash, the scarf turned into bright orange hair, which the serpent was very excited about.

"You look smashing!" said Rarity. "It's a little shorter than the other, but it'll soon grow into a fine moustache."

"Amazing…" thought Twilight. "It took me a whole day to learn that spell. And she achieved it on her first try."

Thanks to Rarity's generosity, the shard left the serpent's body and it was sent back to Equestria, but not before it could express its gratitude by crying "Thank you!" Then it vanished.

"The monster… talked?" asked Twilight.

"All of Equestria's creatures, or at least the vast majority of them can speak…" said Fausticorn. "Not surprising, considering myself."

"You're right," said Rarity. "That's well determined."

"I'm astonished, Rarity. You destroyed the Discord Jewel without hurting the serpent…" said Fausticorn. Then she noticed Twilight was a bit upset. "What's wrong with you, girl?"

"I just don't understand…" said Twilight. "First Pinkie manages to perfectly fit her Element almost immediately, and now Rarity as well. And I struggle with mine."

"It's perfectly reasonable, Twilight," said Fausticorn. "Rarity and Pinkie have both practiced their Elements of Harmony before they got the Jewels. But you've never used magic in your daily life before."

"I understand," said Twilight, ponderingly. "Pinkie's intention always was to cheer up others, and Rarity's led a generous life before the Jewel picked her."

"As you grow more used to your Element, your adaptation to the Jewel will intensify," said Fausticorn. "Don't feel bad, girl… Don't think you've reached the limits of your power."

"What do you mean?" asked Twilight.

"Once you have the final Bearer, you and the others will receive a completely new transformation, but your powers will also increase and you'll learn a great new skill." explained Fausticorn.

"What skill?" asked Twilight, growing more curious by the second.

"You'll know when the time comes," said Fausticorn. "But I've stayed here too long. I'll retire. But first…" Then she flew over to Spike. "Is Spike your true name?"

"Yeah, have we met?" asked Spike.

"You don't know me, but I know who you are. And I have a small piece of advice for you," said Fausticorn. "If you ever come across a heart-shaped ruby, whatever you do – do not use it!"

"What?" asked Spike.

"See you soooon…" said Fausticorn, waving as she disappeared.

"What did she say?" asked Twilight.

"Something about a ruby…" said Spike.

 **Sonic Prime: And we all know what happened to the original Spike concerning that ruby, don't we?**

Out of seemingly nowhere, Rarity started screaming.

"What happened, Rarity?" asked Twilight, concerned about her.

"Tragedy! Look at my blouse!" said Rarity, pulling on her white blouse. Twilight looked but…

"Mmm? There's nothing there," she said.

"Nothing?! Look at that spot!" said Rarity, pointing at a tiny bit of dirt on her blouse. "Dirt! I hate everything dirty…"

"Rarity, it's tiny. Hardly noticeable," said Twilight.

"You're blind! Now I have to go home and change…" said Rarity. "Think about the hours it'll take me to get it cleaned and bleached… Pha!"

"Where did the generous and kind girl go?" thought Twilight.

"She looks beautiful when she's angry," said Spike dreamily. Twilight just stared at him with an expression that said "Really?"

Meanwhile, on the island, Luna was marooned on, she had seen the whole thing in her crystal ball. "Mmm… It appears I underestimated this girl…" she said. "Quite a feat to find another Bearer of Harmony. But Twilight isn't the only one who knows how to find the Chosen Ones."

Then she snapped her fingers. "Shadowbolts, come forward." Then three athletic people walked in, two men and one woman, all wearing the same garb. "I also found a bearer. Her name is Rainbow, and she has an incredible amount of Spiritual Energy. If she allies with Twilight, she could be a tough opponent. It would be much better if she was convinced to join us instead… And whilst I urge to eliminate the three Bearers of Harmony myself, with the power I've given you, they should pose no threat."

"Don't worry, my Princess Luna," said the Shadowbolts' leader, who had dark blue hair and yellow shades. "We Shadowbolts will take care of it and bring her to you. And about those three Bearers of Harmony, they'll be taken off your mind very soon…"

 **To Be Continued…**


	7. Chapter 3 part 1

**Chapter 3 part 1**

It had been four days since Rarity had joined Twilight and Pinkie as Bearers of Harmony. Only four remained as Rainbow was running around doing parkour with Fluttershy timing her. Soon she was done with her run.

"How'd I do?" she panted.

"Congratulations! You beat your record by one whole second," said Fluttershy chipperly.

"Only one? That's way too slow!" whined Rainbow.

"Rainbow, you shouldn't push yourself too hard," said Fluttershy, a bit scared.

"If I don't excel myself, I won't win next year's competition," said Rainbow. "And then I'll have to wait another four years to enter Wonderbolts Academy!"

"Maybe it's Soarin you want to impress?" Fluttershy asked cheekily.

"What! I have no Idea what you're talking about!" she said. For a few minutes, they just stared down at their large city before Fluttershy broke the silence.

"Rainbow, do you mind that I'm your friend?" she asked.

"Why are you asking?" Rainbow asked. "You know you're my only friend."

"I just don't wanna be a hindrance to you," said Fluttershy.

"Fluttershy, it's been three years since we met," said Rainbow. "And if I recall correctly, you made the first move. I'd probably still be alone if you hadn't had the courage to talk to me." Then she chuckled. "Although I admit I never would've imagined having a friend like you. A shy quiet girl?"

"I'm not shy," she said sadly.

"Fluttershy, you're afraid of your own shadow!" said Rainbow, grabbing her in a headlock.

"You're so mean," said Fluttershy. Rainbow laughed. "Seriously though Rainbow, it doesn't matter how many years pass. Will you forever be my friend?"

"Exactly! True friends forever, Fluttershy?" asked Rainbow.

"Yes!" she replied, holding up her fist which Rainbow then bumped with hers. "Ow! That hurt."

Rainbow laughed. "You're so weak!" she said. What neither of them knew was that Applejack was staring at them with a surprisingly forlorn look on her face. Then Fluttershy checked her watch.

"Oh no, it's so late! I promised my mother I'd be home before nightfall," she said.

"All right, you get going," said Rainbow. "I'm gonna stay and train a little more,"

"Okay, but don't strain yourself," said Fluttershy. "And remember that you promised to help me I the park in the morning."

"I'll be early!" said Rainbow as Fluttershy ran home waving.

"Alright! Let's get this going. I'll become the world's best traceuse and then I'll be part of the elite Wonderbolts in no time!" Rainbow declared before she took off running. Meanwhile, Fluttershy was running home, but running late, quickly she cut down a desolate alley when Spike saw her.

"Mmhh? That girl, what made her go down there?" he thought. The alley was dark and cold, and Fluttershy was getting scared.

"Hey girl, what're you doing in our alley?" asked a short guy near the end.

"Eeek!" she squeaked.

"You know, you have to pay a toll to go through here," said the big guy that was with him.

"I'm… I'm sorry," said Fluttershy.

"And if you don't pay up, you'll work for us…" said the short thug. Then Spike ran in with a slingshot.

"Hey losers!" he shouted before he let the green pellet he had loaded fly before it exploded into a cloud of green smoke.

"You little demon!" coughed the thugs.

"Yeah! I hit em! How do ya like that smoke bomb, idiots?" said Spike before he grabbed Fluttershy's hand. "Follow me!" he shouted and they both ran for their lives.

"What were you thinking, going into that alley?!" asked Spike.

"I'm sorry…" said Fluttershy. "But who are you?"

"The name's Spike…" he didn't get to complete his thought as he bumped into someone and fell to the ground. "That hurt…"

"Boy, you think you're some kind of hero?" asked the thug he bumped into. "Time for you to pay." The other thugs chuckled as they all surrounded the two.

"P… P… Please don't hurt us." whimpered Fluttershy.

"Hey guys," said a Southern voice. "Why're y'all botherin' these here kids, when y'all could be playin' with me?"

"Scram woman or you'll regret it." said one of the thugs.

"I'll handle her…" said the small guy as he turned around and saw Applejack.

"Do go on," she said. The small guy walked over and ran his finger over the bottom of her chin.

"Doll, how about you show some respect to us men, and for starters, give me some gracious hospitality?" he asked. So Applejack obliged by swiftly raising her knee into his nuts, making him fall to the ground.

"Enjoyin' my southern hospitality, boy?" she asked, smugly.

"Cocky little girl!" shouted the big guy as he charged in for a punch which Applejack quickly dodged and gave him a kick in the stomach similar to a horse bucking, shocking Spike, and Fluttershy.

"Gotta love them city folk," said Applejack. "Dumb as a bucket o' rocks."

"Girl, you think you're gonna beat us?" asked the lead thug, grabbing her in a grapple. "I'm bigger and stronger than you!"

"Well, let's see who's stronger here…" said Applejack as she tightened her grip, breaking his hand. "Now that don't take the cake," she said before she twirled around and threw the thug over her shoulder and landed him in the trash.

"Incredible!" said Fluttershy.

"She's crazy strong," thought Spike. "I wonder if she holds a Spirit of Harmony like Twilight and the others?"

 **Sonic Prime: Ah, can you say a-"Foreshadowing?"**

 **Sonic: A-Foreshadowing!**

 **Sonic Prime: NOT YOU!**

 **Sonic: Aw. I've waited all day to say that. One day. ONE DAY, I SAYS!**

 **Sonic Prime: Yeah, yeah, whatever. Anyway…**

Then Spike noticed Applejack walking away. "Hey, girl! Wait!" he called as the two caught up to her. "Thank you."

"Ain't nothin', sonny," said Applejack. "Just stay out of trouble from now on," Then she turned to Fluttershy. "And you. What kinda show was that, girl?"

"It was a mistake. I'm sorry," said Fluttershy. "I won't go back to that place,"

"I ain't talkin' bout that," said Applejack. "What would ya've done if that boy got hurt?"

"I…" she began.

"Cryin' ain't good for nothin," said Applejack. "What'll happen if one day the people you love need your help? What's your plan, bein' paralyzed in fear?"

"I… I'm sorry." said Fluttershy.

"Well, best y'all get home now." said Applejack as she started walking off.

"Th… Thank you, friend," said Fluttershy, making her stop. Then she zipped back and got in her face, but she used Spike as a shield.

"Now listen here girl, and listen good," she said angrily. "I am not, and never will be your friend, you hear me?"

"I…" she whimpered.

"What's your problem?" asked Spike. "She just said, friend." Then Applejack gave her the hate stare, prompting him to hide behind Fluttershy. "Ah! I'm sorry!"

"Friendship's nothin' but a farce." said Applejack walking off.

"What?" asked Fluttershy.

"You want some advice, son?" asked Applejack. "Don't trust any friends further than you can throw 'em. They always end up deceiving you." (Jesus, who spit in your cider?) Once she was gone, Spike broke the silence.

"What's wrong with that girl?" he asked.

"What? Friends deceived her?" thought Fluttershy. Meanwhile, Rainbow was still practicing.

"One more practice run, and then I'll head home." she thought, but then someone ran past her and nearly knocked her down. "Hey! Watch where…" she immediately shut up after seeing him flip around like a pro. "That guy has skills," she thought. Then she saw him going for a special run called the Narrow Cliff. Not even the most hardened of parkour masters could beat it.

"Oh! Is he going for the Narrow Cliff?" she thought. The guy just smirked and did it by jumping from wall to wall, and nailed the landing without a scratch.

"It can't be! He managed to finish the Ninja Jump!" she thought. "Only Soarin, Spitfire and Fleetfoot, the elite of the Wonderbolts have ever mastered that leap!" Then she saw the guy wave his hand, signifying her to come up and join him.

"Ah…! If he can do it, so can I!" she thought, and she ran at the wall screaming. She barely managed to make it up to the top of the wall before she started to lose her grip. Then the guy on top reached down and grabbed her hand.

"I got you, Rainbow!" he said.

"How does he know my name?" she thought as he pulled her up.


	8. Chapter 3 part 2

**Chapter 3 part 2**

The mysterious man then pulled Rainbow to solid ground. "Phew… That was close… Thanks…" she said before freaking out. "You managed the Ninja Jump! You're Soarin, aren't you?"

The man laughed as he lowered his hood to reveal thick spiky black hair and yellow sunglasses. "Nope, you're off. The name's Descent," he said.

"Oh. I hoped you'd be Soarin…" said a crestfallen Rainbow.

"You know him, Rainbow?" Descent asked.

"Do I ever! I know everything about the three members of the elite Wonderbolts," said Rainbow. "Fleetfoot, the girl for which no gap is too narrow to pass through with her unmatched flexibility, then comes Starfire, who holds all academy records for speed and has faster reflexes than a cat, and finally my greatest idol, the super-strong Soarin, whose legs are powerful enough for all the great salti. It was him who made me fall in love with parkour."

"I get it, I get it, you know them…" said Descent.

"By the way, how did you know my name? I never told you," said Rainbow.

"Even if the color of your hair would be enough to easily call you that, the truth is that I do know you," said Descent. "In fact, all that like calling themselves extreme sportsmen know about your great near-victory."

"What are you talking about?" asked Rainbow.

"I'm referring to what happened at the competition held by the Wonderbolts three years ago," said Descent. "There you were, only ten years old and you became the youngest contestant in the run. But you were remembered not for your age, but for what you nearly accomplished to achieve."

"I don't remember it like that," said Rainbow. "I'm still repenting. I wasn't good enough, or I'd be studying at the Wonderbolts Academy already."

"Hah!" Descent laughed. "I'm grateful you didn't get in."

"How dare you!" said an angry Rainbow.

"Don't get me wrong here," said Descent. "You've seen that I'm an extreme sportsman. But I'm not just another athlete, I'm a member of the Shadowbolts."

"Shadowbolts? I never heard of that academy," said Rainbow.

"We aren't those academy stiffs, we're a group of only three members at this time. But we're professionals and each one of us has won trophies in all kinds of extreme tournaments all over the world." Here, Rainbow went full-on fangirl.

"So that's why you're so awesome!" she said. "But what are you doing in Ponyville?"

"Let's cut straight to the point here, Rainbow," said Descent. "We're recruiting athletes for the big tournament in Moscow this year, and I remembered you. I believe you'll be a great member to win over, especially when competing against the Wonderbolts."

"Seriously?" said Rainbow, losing interest. "But I told Soarin that I'd partake in the competition they're holding here next year…"

"At the Wonderbolts tournament three years ago, you showed that you were better than all others, at only ten years of age," said Descent. "I'm sure you're ready for the big stage now."

"But I want to compete at Soarin's side…" said Rainbow.

"Don't you think it'll be much better to compete against Soarin instead?" asked Descent.

"I see no reason why," said Rainbow, skeptical.

"Soarin is like a trainer to you," said Descent. "Who better than a trainer to judge when their student exceeds him?"

"You really think so?" asked Rainbow, curious.

"I'm sure of it, cutie," said Descent.

"Alright, I'm on!" said Rainbow excitedly.

"I knew you wouldn't disappoint me, Rainbow…" said Descent. "But first, you have to show my colleagues how good you really are. How about we meet here tomorrow after you get out of school?"

"After school? Can't we meet again at around this time?" asked Rainbow.

"Sorry, but I need to teach you some more moves so you can put on an impressive show for your friends." said Descent.

"It's just that I kinda promised a friend I'd meet her after school…" shrugged Rainbow.

"Don't disappoint me, Rainbow," said Descent. "Not many are given the chance to become great athletes in such a short amount of time." Then he started walking away. "But if you can't make it, forget it."

"Wait!" said Rainbow. "Okay. I'll be there."

"I knew you'd be trustworthy," said Descent, handing her something. "Take this as a gift." It was a necklace with a crescent moon with wings on either side.

"Aw yeah, sweet necklace." said Rainbow, putting it on.

"My trainer gave it to me," said Descent. "Her name is Luna."

"And Luna is a great extreme athlete as well?" asked Rainbow.

"Sure thing," said Descent suspiciously. "If the others accept you, I'll personally introduce you to her and you'll see how great she really is." A few minutes later, Rainbow was heading home, committed to seeing Descent again, but she was still having a bad feeling about failing to meet up with Fluttershy.

The next day after school, Twilight, Rarity, and Pinkie met in an abandoned classroom.

"…Ra… Rarity… what on Earth is Pinkie wearing?" asked Twilight. Pinkie was wearing a pink suit that looked like what her pony form might have looked like.

"It's just a design idea for the battle suits we're gonna wear," said Rarity. "Isn't it fabulous?" Twilight rolled her eyes and looked away.

"I told you she'd love it!" said Pinkie, high-fiving her.

"Why would we need suits?" asked Twilight.

"Oh please!" said Rarity. "Everybody wears suits. Soldiers, policemen, firefighters, everybody! And I'm surely not willing to keep changing clothes after each battle. You have no idea how hard it is to get those pesky grass stains out of the fabric."

"Have you forgotten that Fausticorn told us to find the other bearers first, in order for us to achieve complete transformation." said Twilight as Pinkie was bouncing around in circles.

"But until then, you'll be able to wear these." said Rarity.

"These creatures can appear at any time," said Twilight bluntly. "I seriously doubt we'll have the time to change when they do."

"It'll be fine," said Rarity. "Besides, Pinkie seems to like…" Then they saw Pinkie chewing on her suit's tail. "Pi… Pinkie? What are you doing?"

Pinkie gave a small nervous chuckle. "I'm sorry," she said. "It's just that my tail is so fluffy and pink, I thought wow, it looks like cotton candy. And then I realized I was hungry."

"Well, make sure to wash it…" said Rarity. "Oh, I nearly forgot, this is yours, Twilight." Then she noticed Twilight was gone. She had just left and was walking through the school courtyard.

"You'd have to be crazy to wear that suit," she thought. "Humanized ponies… Who could imagine something like that? Nobody but Rarity." Then she saw Fluttershy near the door. "Huh? I know that girl. She's in my class. Maybe I should get to know her. It would be nice to have someone to talk to in class, and a teammate for group work." Quickly, she zipped up.

"Hello! You're a classmate of mine. I'm Twilight. What's your name?" she asked.

"Hello… I'm Fluttershy," she whispered.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" asked Twilight.

"Flu… Fluttershy…" she said a bit louder.

"Don't be afraid of me," said Twilight. "I don't bite."

"I don't trust my classmates," said Fluttershy.

"What?" asked a confused Twilight. Then Spike appeared.

"Twilight, have you seen Rarity?" he asked. Once she saw he was here, Fluttershy was ecstatic.

"Spike!" she cried and hugged him. "How are you?!"

"He… Hello, Fluttershy," he gasped from her grip. "I'm good…"

"You know each other?" asked an even more confused Twilight. A few moments later, Spike had explained everything, which made Twilight erupt.

"What?! I told you a thousand times you shouldn't go near those places, Spike!" she yelled.

"It was my fault," said Fluttershy. "I'm sorry."

"No… Don't worry," said Twilight. "At least you got out okay."

"I'll better check if Rarity is doing well, too," said Spike. "I'm off." Fluttershy waved to her friend and Twilight got curious.

"Fluttershy, I have to ask," she said. "What are you doing here without your uniform, but with that bulky bag?"

"I'm waiting for a friend, but she's really late," said Fluttershy.

"A friend?" asked Twilight. Meanwhile, Rainbow and Descent were just finishing practicing parkour moves.

"Well done, Rainbow," said Descent. "You're a really quick learner. Again!"

"Sure…" Rainbow panted. "Let me just… catch my breath… Please…"

"Hah! Very well," said Descent. "A five-minute breather, and then I'll show you the next move. My friends will be really impressed."

"Okay! And thanks for teaching me these awesome new moves, Descent," said Rainbow. "I just hope Fluttershy will forgive me," she thought. "I swear I'll help her tomorrow for sure."

Even later, in the park, Twilight and Fluttershy were planting trees, swapping stories. "So this is what you do after school?" asked Twilight. "Planting trees in the park? Why?"

"I was an only child," she explained. "My mother and I always wished to adopt a sibling, but I'm not good enough yet to be a caretaker. My mother told me that once I was trustworthy enough, we can adopt, and when that happens, I'm gonna see my new sibling play in this park. Heh, also there are many little animals deserving a place free and full of trees to live in. Oh, and thank you so much for helping me. Spike was right about you."

"You're more than welcome," she replied. "I had some spare time, anyway. But what did Spike tell you?"

"When I asked about you, he said you're a good person and that I should meet you someday," said Fluttershy. "I never thought that his sister could be my classmate."

Twilight blushed. "I would've never imagined that spike tells others I'm a good person," she thought. "I oughtta make him a delicious cake."

"He also said that you're grumpy and sometimes as ferocious as an ogre." continued Fluttershy.

"Yeah, I'll make you a cake Spike," thought Twilight angrily. "And I'll deliver It straight to your face!"

"Getting back to earlier, Fluttershy, at school you said you don't trust your classmates," she said. "I just remembered that you're also always alone when I see you. I thought I was the only one that knows nobody here."

"My classmates don't like me," she said sadly. "They only mock me, and sometimes abuse me for being so shy."

"What?!" asked Twilight astonished.

"They taunt me and throw stuff at me when I'm alone," she said.

"That's bullying," said Twilight. "You shouldn't let them do that to you!"

"I guess I learned to withstand their ridicule," said Fluttershy. "I've been a weak girl all my life, and I got sick a lot when I was little. I deserve to be treated like that."

"No! Nobody deserves that," said Twilight. "Don't worry about it anymore. As long as we're together, I won't let it happen again."

Fluttershy chuckled. "You sound just like Rainbow… Thank you." Suddenly, they heard a loud meow out of nowhere. It was a stray cat laying on the ground yowling in pain.

"Oh no! Its leg is caught in that wire," said Fluttershy, worried for the kitty.

"I'll get it off," said Twilight crawling over. "Calm down, kitty…" she said soothingly, but it scratched her hand as she reached for the wire. "Ouch! How can we get this thing free? It's too scary."

"I'll get it." said Fluttershy walking over.

"Be careful," said Twilight. The cat was still hissing as Fluttershy moved her hand in front of it.

"Calm down," she said quietly. "Don't be afraid of me. I'm not a threat." After a second, the cat calmed down and licked her hand.

"Amazing!" thought Twilight. "That cat was completely uncontrollable, but now Fluttershy's got it completely calm." Then a bright pink light began shining from Twilight's purse on the ground nearby. "Could it be…?"

"I promise I won't hurt you," said Fluttershy, unraveling the wire. "Just let me get that…" Twilight had pulled out the gem disk and the butterfly gem was glowing.

"It can't be…" she thought. "It's the jewel!... It's shining!" The cat meowed in happiness as Fluttershy hoisted it up and chuckled.

"See? You're all better now, aren't you?" she asked.

"Flu… Fluttershy is the Bearer of the Spirit of Kindness!" thought Twilight, shocked.


	9. Chapter 3 part 3

**Chapter 3 part 3**

The cat plodded away and meowed back at Fluttershy before it left. "Goodbye kitty," she waved. "Take care." Then Twilight quickly appeared in her face.

"Fluttershy!" she shouted.

"Eek! Don't scare me like that," she said.

"I'm sorry, but you're the person I've been looking for," said Twilight.

"I don't understand," said Fluttershy.

"Come with me to school and meet my friends," said Twilight, pushing her along. "I'll explain on the way."

"O…ok," said Fluttershy, not entirely trustingly. Meanwhile, elsewhere, Rainbow and Descent were meeting the other Shadowbolts.

"At last, Rainbow," said Descent. "You get to meet my colleagues. This is the leader of our group, Nightingale." She had dark blue hair and amber eyes.

"So you're the girl Descent was boasting about. I thought you'd be older and… taller." she said. Rainbow naturally inferred it as an insult.

"Size ain't everything," she said. "I can still win any competition!"

Nightingale chuckled. "At least you have a fiery temper, kid," she said. "That's good."

"Don't tease her, Nightingale," said Descent. "And finally, this is our newest member, Haze." Haze was a large ripped African-American man, but his head was covered by a green hood, so Rainbow couldn't see his eyes or hair, not to mention that he seemed to be a quiet type.

"Mmhh… This guy's huge, and somehow I really feel uncomfortable around him," thought Rainbow.

"Mmhh! You got a good track record, kid," said Nightingale. "But I'm one of those people who have to see it to believe it."

"Then what's the hold-up?" asked Rainbow. "I want to show you I'm not just hot air…"

"Calm down," said Nightingale. "I believe you should take a two-hour break. We'll have everything prepared to test your talent for when you return."

"Agreed!" said Rainbow. "Two hours will be well enough time to go help Fluttershy and get back." she thought. "See you in two hours!" she shouted and ran.

"Descent, did you give her the collar?" asked Nightingale.

"Yes. She's wearing it under her clothing," said Descent. "I still believe it'd be for the best if we just take her to Luna against her will."

"Don't forget," said Nightingale. "Luna wants Rainbow as an ally, not a slave. Let the collar do its work. By the way, Luna demands that you get in touch with her. There's something she wants to be done." Then she noticed Haze was leaving. "Haze, where are you going?"

"I got things to do…" he said simply. "I'll be seeing you tomorrow."

"Mmhh… I've got the feeling Haze is hiding something," said Descent.

"I believe so too," said Nightingale. "But remember, he's very good at what he does. Also, I doubt he'll dare to cross Luna. It's like defying death itself." An hour later at school, Twilight had introduced Fluttershy to the others and explained the whole situation.

"Yes! We got a new friend!" shouted Pinkie and she picked Fluttershy up and spun her around.

"Ah! I'm scared of heights!" she squealed.

"Twilight, are you quite sure she's a Bearer?" asked Rarity.

"Yes," said Twilight. "The Jewel doesn't lie. And if you'd seen her earlier, you wouldn't doubt her. She humbly calmed a furious cat."

"I…I really was a pony in another world?" asked a dizzy Fluttershy. "And I've only seen transformations into magical girls in video games?"

"You'll believe us when you see us transformed," said Twilight. "Although we have to figure out where and when we can show it to you."

"I have an idea!" said Pinkie. "Why don't we have a slumber party? We'll have plenty of time to prove it then."

"Splendid idea, Pinkie!" said Rarity. "We could do it on Friday."

"Slumber party?" asked Twilight.

"Twilight, you've never had a slumber party?" asked Rarity.

"Before you guys, I never had any friends, so I don't know anything about what you do at one." Twilight explained.

"It…It means one night in pajamas at one of our houses," said Fluttershy.

"Yes, and having fun and all kinds of games, especially my most favorite game in all the world – karaoke!" said Pinkie.

"Fluttershy, you've also had slumber parties?" asked Rarity.

"Yes, with my friend Rainbow," she said. Speaking of whom, she was walking back to school, having not found Fluttershy in the park.

"Mmhh… That's strange," she said aloud. "I thought Fluttershy would be in the park. But when I got there, she was nowhere to be found. She can't still be waiting for me at school?" But when she rounded a corner, she saw her with the others. Then as she questioned it, the necklace Descent gave her started giving off strange power, causing her eyes to glow.

"Pinkie, when did you have slumber parties?" asked Rarity.

"When I was little, I had tons of them," she said. "My guests were a little quiet though. But they were only rocks." This left Twilight and Fluttershy to wonder what her childhood was like until…

"Fluttershy!" called Rainbow.

"Rainbow! Hello!" said Fluttershy.

"What are you doing with these girls?" asked Rainbow.

"You are Fluttershy's friend?" asked Twilight. "My name is Twilight…"

"Shut up!" said Rainbow, stunning Twilight. "I wasn't talking to you."

"Rainbow, they're my new friends…" said Fluttershy timidly.

"NO! I'm your only friend, you hear me?" said Rainbow angrily.

"Hey! Don't talk like that, girl," said Rarity.

"Shut up, Grandma," said Rainbow bitterly, greatly insulting her. Pinkie even had to hold her back.

"SHE… SHE CALLED ME GRANDMA!" she growled. "THAT INSOLENT MIDGET!"

"Rarity, calm down…" said Pinkie.

"Let's go, Fluttershy," said Rainbow. "Them or me, you decide…"

"I…I…," said Fluttershy, but she walked over to her.

"Fluttershy…" said Twilight.

"I'm sorry, Twilight," she said. Later, she and Rainbow were out on the street talking. And by talking, I mean Rainbow was yelling and Fluttershy was making timid barely audible comments.

"Listen to me Fluttershy," said Rainbow. "I never want to see you with them again. They'll never be your friends."

"But Ra… Rainbow, if you'd knew them, you'd see they aren't that bad," said Fluttershy.

"Rarity is one of them, the most popular girl in school," said Rainbow. "Did you forget what happened three years ago? Some popular girls made you believe that they were your friends. Only to pull a horrible prank on you and in the end, the entire school made fun of you."

"I'll never forget that. It was before we even knew each other," she said.

"And even if we had known each other, if I hadn't been there at that moment, you would've taken your own life just because of some idiots' mockery," said Rainbow. "You can trust me, and nobody else."

"But I'm sure these are different." said Fluttershy.

"Lies! They're all the same. I only want to protect you, but you're still hoping to meet new people." said Rainbow. "You know that nobody at school likes us. We can only depend on each other. But that's all gonna change soon. I've met some good people that'll take us away from here. I only have to do something, and then we'll go together."

"I don't understand," said Fluttershy.

"Listen, just trust me, okay?" asked Rainbow. "I gotta go. I'm meeting them now."

"Okay, Rainbow, but be careful," said Fluttershy. Rainbow just pulled her into a hug.

"I love you, Fluttershy," she said. "I once failed a great friend named Gilda. I won't make that mistake with you."

"Ra…Rainbow…" said Fluttershy. Neither of them knew everything that happened was just the collar poisoning Rainbow's mind. Back in the park, Descent was holding the cat from earlier on his arm with the other behind his back.

"Little cat, my princess says you have the soul of a powerful creature from Equestria," he said as a Discord Jewel hovered behind his back. "It's time to prove it to everyone," he thought as his eyes glowed red under his sunglasses. "Especially to the Elements of Harmony." The cat yowled in pain as the jewel was infused into her body. Later, at the park, Fluttershy was sitting, waiting for Rainbow.

"Rainbow told me to wait here, but she's already been gone for too long," she said. "And she acted so strange back there," she thought. "It's the first time that Rainbow really scared me…"

"Fluuuttershyyy…" said a creepy voice behind her. She looked but no one was there. "Fluuuuttershyy…" it said again, this time from the other side. She looked but there still wasn't anyone there. She was getting scared but then she heard breathing underneath her. She cautiously looked down and saw Pinkie with her tongue stuck out. "Why did you leave?"

"AHHH!" she screamed before Twilight appeared and stomped on Pinkie's face.

"You're scaring her, stupid!" she said.

"Ouch! It was just a joke…" said Pinkie.

"Please leave," said Fluttershy. "I don't want to have problems with Rainbow."

"But she can't just forbid you to meet other people," said Twilight.

"Rainbow just cares so much about me." said Fluttershy.

"Any good friend should care for you," said Rarity. "But that's no reason to isolate yourself." Fluttershy started tearing up.

"Please don't make me choose between you and Rainbow…" she cried.

"Choose?! We would never make you choose, Fluttershy," said Pinkie. "Especially not between friends…"

"We decided to talk to her," said Twilight. "We not only want to be your friends but also friends with Rainbow."

"You'd really do that?" said Fluttershy. Then Pinkie saw something.

"Oh look! It's a cute kitty!" she said. Twilight looked and was surprised.

"It's the same cat from earlier," she said. Then its pupils shrank into slits and a large aura grew around it, turning it into a giant lion with large bat wings and a scorpion tail.

Twilight and Rarity screamed in fear, grabbing Pinkie and Fluttershy. "That's no cute kitty anymore…" said Pinkie.

"What happened to the kitty?" asked Fluttershy.

"I know this creature," said Twilight, remembering her reading. "I saw it in the book Celeste sent me. It's a manticore that lived in an area of Equestria, in the other world. But why has this cat become that monster?" Quickly, she transformed.

"Fluttershy, you should probably stay as far back as possible," said Rarity.

"S… So it's true…" she said shocked. "You have… magical powers…"

"There'll be time for amazement later," said Rarity. "Now get back!" Fluttershy didn't need to be told twice as she quickly retreated.

"Rarity, are you ready?" asked Twilight.

"But we have classes tomorrow," she whined. "I don't want to get my clothes all dirty." Twilight was unamused.

"I can wash your clothes for you if you want," she said. "And Pinkie, are you ready?"

"In a minute," she said pulling on a pink boot. "I'm getting into costume." The manticore growled angrily at her. "Ah! Can't you wait a minute too, kitty?!" Twilight and Rarity sweatdropped.

"I told you the costumes were a bad idea." said Twilight.

"I see your point," said Rarity. "These monsters are getting increasingly rude." Meanwhile, elsewhere…

"Well done Rainbow," said Nightingale. "You followed my steps without stopping once."

"I…told…you…so…" Rainbow panted. "And where is Descent?"

"He's busy right now," said Nightingale. "But the decision I make will be accepted by the others."

"And what do you think?" she asked. "Am I what you're looking for?"

"Congratulations Rainbow," said Nightingale smugly. "You can join the Shadowbolts!"

"YES!" Rainbow cheered.

"I believe Descent told you that we're currently living in Paris?" asked Nightingale. "And that if I accept you, we'll bring you there too?"

"Yeah, but my dad…" she began.

"We'll talk to your father to let you go to France for six months for training and then participate in the tournament." said Nightingale.

"Okay! And Fluttershy will love to accompany me…"

"Who?" asked Nightingale.

"Fluttershy," explained Rainbow. "She's my best and only friend. She has always helped me, and she's my physical trainer…" she chuckled.

"The invitation is for you and you alone, Rainbow," said Nightingale.

"But she's always been with me. She's not just a friend. She's like my sister." said Rainbow.

"There's no time for a discussion," said Nightingale. "Take it or leave it, girl." Then just as the collar started tempting her, a memory spell started reflecting in Rainbow's mind. It was three years ago, and she was sitting next to Soarin of the Wonderbolts.

"Rainbow, can you promise me something?" asked Soarin.

"Anything," said the young Rainbow.

"Promise me you'll always be loyal to your friends, and that nothing and nobody will break the friendship you have with Fluttershy." said Soarin.

"Okay Soarin," said Rainbow, holding up her bandaged pinkie. "I promise." Soarin linked his pinkie with hers and the two smiled as the spell faded.

"No!" said Rainbow firmly.

"No? What do you mean no?" asked Nightingale.

"I don't accept!" said Rainbow. "If Fluttershy doesn't come with me, I won't go either. I promised we'd always be together. Goodbye!" And she walked off in a huff.

"Incredible," thought Nightingale. "The loyalty to her friend is more powerful than the collar's spell." Then she started charging a black ball of magic in her hand. "Descent was right. The only way to bring her to Luna is by force."

"Nightingale, stop." came a familiar voice in her head.

"Luna! Have you been watching?" thought a terrified Nightingale.

"I see all, Nightingale," said Luna. "And I know what you're planning to do."

"But Luna, the loyalty of Rainbow to that Fluttershy is really strong," said Nightingale.

"And that's the reason her loyalty will be to our favor in the end," said Luna. "Whether it's the sorrow of seeing her friend dead, or the hatred of seeing her with the other Bearers… she will come to me."


	10. Chapter 3 part 4

**Chapter 3 part 4**

Back at the park, Twilight and Rarity had transformed and were raging in the battle.

"Starstorm!" called Twilight and a rain of stars fell down towards the manticore, but it quickly dodged and shot a torrent of fire out of its mouth at her.

"Great Wall!" shouted Rarity, raising a large stone shield between Twilight and the fire. "Twilight, if we want to protect Fluttershy, we should end this battle as soon as possible."

"Let me try a new invention of mine!" said Pinkie.

"This isn't the time for experiments, Pinkie," said Twilight. But she didn't listen as she started making a large cannon out of ice.

"Here you go, kitty!" she called. "Party Cannon Freeze!" Then a huge ice beam shot out of the cannon and hit the monster, freezing it solid in a large block of ice and coating the park in snow, which Pinkie quickly fell into and started making snow angels in. "Hahaha! This is fun!" she laughed.

"Amazing," said Rarity. "She managed to cover the entire countryside in snow."

"Brrr!" shivered Fluttershy. "I'm freezing!"

"Incredible!" marveled Twilight. "She defeated the manticore with a single attack. Pinkie must have increased her level."

"Twilight!" said Rarity, digging herself out. "It's time to extract the Discord Jewel."

"You're right," she replied. "Let's get to it." Then they all heard a cruel laugh.

"This isn't finished yet, Twilight!" said a dark voice.

"Who said that?" asked Rarity. Then the manticore's eyes shot open and he shattered the ice block he was trapped in.

"Ah! It can't be! That's mean! You broke my ice cake!" said Pinkie angrily.

"That's impossible," said Twilight. "I know that voice. It's Luna! But my sister cursed you to prevent you from entering Ponyville." Then Luna's astral form appeared over the manticore.

"She might have forgotten to tell you. My physical form may not be able to enter, but there's nothing to stop part of my aura to enter the city. Or bring someone to fight in my place." she said.

"It was you who transformed that cat into this creature?" asked Rarity.

"Of course," said Luna. "All it took was a small fragment of the Shards of Discord and part of my own magical energy."

"But how did you manage to make the creatures appear in Ponyville?" asked Twilight. Luna laughed.

"Do you honestly believe this horrible is the only place in the world to which Discord would send his creatures?" she asked. "Each day, new Creatures of Discord appear in this world, all around the planet. As I'm sure your sister told you, as the current incarnation of Celestia, she is responsible for stopping _those_ beasts. I simply took a fragment from one of those creatures and my own power to renew the soul of the manticore in that cat."

"How… How can you be so evil…?" asked Fluttershy.

"Huh? Oh yes, I almost forgot," said Luna, looking at her. "Even I can't believe somebody as weak as you holds the Spirit of Harmony." Twilight quickly pushed her down.

"No! You're wrong! She's only a weeping girl that accidentally walked by!" she said quickly.

"Ahh! That hurts!" said Fluttershy.

"Hmm. Well, in for a penny and all that," said Luna. "Manticore, kill her." The beast quickly charged but Twilight quickly raised a magic shield to hold it back.

"Fluttershy! Fly!" she cried. "This monster is really strong…" she thought.

"Hey bad kitty!" said Pinkie, warming up a water attack. "Cool down a little!" Then she quickly hooked it around the shield and hit the monster in the side.

"That girl with the stupid face has adapted sensationally well to her jewel," thought Luna, before she realized. "And the ice cannon technique earlier appears to have not just been an attack, but a field spell. All that snow is giving her magic a power boost."

"No matter," she said. "Time for you to die. Rain of Thorns!" Then the manticore took to the skies and started shooting strange spike down from its wings towards the others.

"Umbrella!" shouted Rarity creating a large stone wall above the girls, blocking the spikes.

"Now, my pet!" called Luna. "Kill the weeping girl!" The manticore quickly charged at Fluttershy who fell and recoiled in fear.

"Fluttershyyy!" cried Twilight in fear as a loud slash rang out. Fluttershy looked and saw that she was still okay. But then she saw what saved her. Pinkie had jumped in the way of the manticore's claws, leaving three deep cuts on her back and getting her catapulted to one side where she powered down.

"Nooo!" thought Rarity.

"Pinkie!" cried Twilight as Fluttershy just watched in fear before running over to tend to her wounds.

"Hahaha…" chuckled Luna. "That girl was actually dumb enough to take the hit just to protect her."

"If it had gone through, the little girl would've died immediately," she thought. "Well, bright side, now that Pinkie's dying, her field spell is inactive."

"Now! Flare!" she called and the Manticore started launching fire out of its mouth.

"Barrier!" called Twilight drawing a spell-seal in the air in front of them.

"Great Wall!" shouted Rarity, raising a stone wall behind the barrier spell.

"Rarity, quick!" strained Twilight. "Use your Emergency Charity spell to heal Pinkie!

"I can't!" she replied. "It drains too much of my power, and you can't possibly contain this attack yourself!"

"Pinkie! Pinkie! Hang in there…" said Fluttershy.

"Heh… Heh… That was… a bad idea…" chuckled Pinkie before she started coughing up blood.

"Why would you do that?" asked Fluttershy.

"Because you're my friend…" said Pinkie weakly. "And friends… look out for each other… You… are already… part of the family…"

"Hang in there, Pinkie!" said Twilight.

"Enough of this already!" said Luna. "Impact!" The manticore quickly flew up and shot down like a meteor smashing through the wall, knocking Twilight and Rarity to the ground.

"They've been defeated… And I'm next," thought Fluttershy, on the verge of tears. But then she suddenly remembered Applejack's honest words from the day before.

"Cryin' ain't good fer nothin," she remembered her saying. "What'll happen if one day, the people you love need your help?"

"Pinkie…" thought Fluttershy. "You're suffering because of my mistake." Then she saw that the manticore was tearing up too. Almost like it was in pain.

"I don't want…" she said quietly, her voice quickly increasing in pitch. "I don't want anybody to suffer anymore!" At that very moment, the Jewel of Kindness shot to her and bonded with her, making her glow bright yellow, and making the picture of three pink butterflies appear on her flank. Then a large flower appeared on her back and bloomed creating a large pair of yellow feathery wings. Her headdress appeared showing a pony head shape, in the center of the Jewel of Kindness and two feathered wing assemblies appeared on the side of her face and she gained a pair of light yellow bracers.

"Incredible…" said Rarity. "She's flying."

"It's like seeing… an angel," said Twilight.

"Damn this!" said Luna. "Manticore, attack with Flare!"

"Stop!" said Fluttershy. and she started flapping her wings, creating a huge whirlwind, pushing the manticore down. "I feel for you, kitty… Having this woman controlling you must be as painful as a thorn in the paw." The manticore just kept crying, showing her she was right. "Nature, please aid me." she thought. Then a huge mass of vines shot up from the ground under the manticore, pinning it to the ground.

"Damn her!" thought Luna. "Not only can she control air, but nature as well?"

"Twilight! I need help!" said Fluttershy.

"Right!" she said, jumping to her feet. "Extraction!"

"You fool!" said Luna. "Do you think that with your measly powers, you can liberate this animal of my spell? You're still too weak for me."

"You're forgetting something, Luna," said Twilight. "I'm not the girl you first met anymore. Now I have a power you will never be able to overcome." Then Rarity appeared next to her and her horn glowed. "The help of my friends!"

"Extraction!" shouted Rarity. Then the Discord Jewel floated out of the manticore's mouth and shattered in a strange purple shockwave, causing damage to Luna.

"Nooo!" she shouted and disappeared. Then the manticore turned back into the cat from before.

"Kitty, are you okay?" asked Fluttershy landing close to it. The cat gave a small, weak meow bat crawled around in her arms when she picked her up.

"Oh man, this is a serious hit!" said Twilight, looking at Pinkie with Rarity. "Rarity, can you heal her?"

"Well, I used a lot of my power to free that cat from Luna's control, but I'll do my best." she replied.

"Let me try," said Fluttershy moving over and holding her hands over Pinkie's back. Then the cuts glowed bright sparkling yellow and closed on their own.

"Incredible," said Twilight. "They're already closed."

"Fluttershy, are you okay?" asked Rarity. "You don't even look tired after that."

"I'm fine," she replied as she and the others powered down. "I just asked the energy of nature to assist Pinkie."

"Splendid!" said Rarity. "We seem to have our healer."

"Pinkie, are… are you feeling okay?" asked Fluttershy as she got up and looked at the cuts in the costume.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said, grabbing her in a hug. "Thanks to you, new friend!"

"You… You helped me first," she said happily. Then Pinkie saw something.

"It's that bad cat!" she said moving to stop it. "It wants to attack again! I'll stop it for you!" Quickly the cat ran away with a loud yowl.

"Leave it alone! It's not evil!" said Fluttershy. A few minutes later, Pinkie had changed out of her costume and Fluttershy was apologizing.

"I'm so sorry I've caused all this," she said bowing to Twilight.

"What the hell are you talking about?" asked Twilight. "You saved our lives. You're our friend and we're happy to have you with us."

"Twilight, you are so right!" said Pinkie. "And we should take a photo for posterity." Quickly, she pulled all the others together and pulled out her cell phone. "This is going straight to my Facebook!"

"Never!" said Rarity. "I look simply deranged after such a horrible battle."

"Are… Are they always this eccentric?" asked Fluttershy.

"Don't worry," said Twilight. "It only takes a few days to get used to their follies…" Then someone walked up. Someone familiar.

"So… in the end, you chose them over me…" she said.

"Rainbow!" said Fluttershy shocked.

"How could you, Fluttershy," asked a teary Rainbow. "I gave up everything just to be with you…"

"Please listen to me," said Fluttershy. "I can explain…"

"I don't ever want to see you again, Fluttershy!" yelled Rainbow, turning away. "And you three… You're gonna pay!... I swear!" With that, she ran off with Fluttershy calling after her. That night, Descent and Nightingale met outside the city.

"I sense the Bearers still live," said Descent. "Princess Luna has failed."

"She told me this battle was important, and that whatever the outcome, she would win in the end." smirked Nightingale.

"What are you talking about?" asked Descent.

"You'll understand in 3… 2… 1…" said Nightingale counting down on her fingers, just before Rainbow appeared. "Rainbow? What are you doing here?" she asked, feigning surprise.

"I want… to go with you," she said. "Nothing holds me in this city anymore…" The two smirked as they saw her eyes glowing from the pendant's magic. "I want to be a Shadowbolt!"

 **To Be Continued…**


	11. Chapter 4 part 1

**Chapter 4 part 1**

After the battle against Luna's manticore, Twilight figured it was time to meet her sister in the astral world. She needed advice and training on how to use her magic, but she was focused on another problem entirely.

"To conclude," said Celeste. "With this spell, you'll be able to see the level of spiritual energy your enemy, or anyone else you want to analyze possesses. And the best part is you don't need that much power for it to work." But Twilight didn't respond. "Are you even listening, Twilight…" She looked and saw that she was practically asleep. "TWIIILIIIGHTTT!" she screamed, pulling on her sister's ears, making her snap out of her trance.

"What's with you?" she asked. "You wanted me to teach you Aura Analysis, and even the powerful 'Stella Magna' technique, and now you're not even paying attention."

"I'm sorry, big sister," she replied. "I just can't help but think about what happened with Fluttershy and her friend. It seems like it was all my fault."

"Don't blame yourself, Twilight," said Celeste. "If the friendship they have is true, you'll see that all will resolve itself. But they'll need the support of you all."

"I hope so," said Twilight.

"Let's finish up," said Celeste. "It's time you get some rest. You do have school tomorrow."

"I won't go," said Twilight. "I need to find and speak with Rainbow. According to Fluttershy, she told her she'll be meeting some people and leave Ponyville with them." Then she saw that Celeste was sleeping, which really peeved her. "Oh, now you're not listening to me!?"

"Now you see how uncomfortable it is when nobody's listening to you," said Celeste. "Besides, Mom and Dad will be angry if you skip school."

"Lucky thing is Rarity's class president," said Twilight. "She'll be able to justify my absences."

"Even so, you should get some sleep," said Celeste. "And say hi to Spike for me." With that, Twilight faded out of the astral world and woke up in her bed.

"Mmm," she groaned groggily. "I have to find a way to convince Rainbow."

"I can still remember the look in her eyes," she thought. "For a moment there, I felt something dark within them… What was that?" Meanwhile, at Rainbow's house, she was sitting on her bed in the fetal position with a lightning bolt necklace next to her.

"I wish it all stayed the way it was three years ago," she thought as she looked at the necklace. "Where are you when I need you the most, Soarin?" she asked.

Mornings in Ponyville always shine, especially with Pinkie around, but today was an exception.

"Hey! I'm heeereee!" said Pinkie happily.

"Sh! Lower your voice, Pinkie," said Rarity, sitting with a sad Fluttershy.

"What? Is she still crying?" asked Pinkie.

"I don't blame her," said Rarity. "They've been so close for three years. Honestly, I half expected something like this."

"I'll lighten her mood," said Pinkie. "Don't worry, Fluttershy. Everything will be A-OK! She won't forget the wonderful moments with you."

"You… You're right," said Fluttershy, feeling better.

"Of course!" said Pinkie, thinking about something. "Unless of course she makes new friends and never wants to see you again." After hearing that, Fluttershy started bawling like a baby again.

"Marvelous work, Pinkie," said Rarity sarcastically.

"Was it something I said?" asked the absent-minded Bearer. Meanwhile, outside town, Descent and Nightingale were waiting.

"Today is the day we deal the final blow, right?" asked Descent.

"Naturally," said Nightingale. "Just like yesterday, you'll order Rainbow to meet at the place we chose, where Luna will wait for her. While the possession ritual is in action, we'll take care of the Bearers."

"Sounds good," said Descent. "But something's got me worried. Haze hasn't shown up yet."

"We don't need him here," said Nightingale. "He'll be at the battle, you'll see. He'd better show up. For his own sake." Meanwhile, Twilight was running for school after waking up late, and she was still wearing her headband.

"How could I have overslept?" she thought worrying. Then she saw someone in front of her. "It's Rainbow! This is perfect. Even without the others here, I can at least try to talk to her."

"Rainbow! I need to talk to you!" she said.

"There's nothing to talk about," she replied, walking past her.

"You don't understand," said Twilight. "Fluttershy is devastated about yesterday."

"Good! It's what she deserves for leaving me and joining you," she said bitterly.

"What are you talking about?" asked Twilight. "She'd never stop talking about the good times you had together."

"I don't care!" said Rainbow angrily. "And I don't want to talk about those I leave behind."

"Leave behind?" asked Twilight angrily. She grabbed Rainbow by the shoulders and spun her to face her.

"Let me go!" she growled.

"Do you even hear yourself?" asked Twilight. "You speak as if she was a pet or an item! You may wish that she's your friend, but you can't prevent her from meeting others. And she wasn't the only person that we wanted to become our friend. When you found us in the end, we hoped you'd join us as well. But everything became a big misunderstanding. We'd never try to break up a friendship like the one you have with Fluttershy. We just wanted to be part of it."

"I… I…" stuttered a conflicted Rainbow. What neither of them noticed was that Haze was behind a tree nearby with a strange gem hovering in his hand.

"It's time to dispel my doubts. I can't stand all this sentimentality," he thought. "Darkness doesn't overshadow Harmony. In humans, the power of Jealousy is the sin that divides them the most, and there's nothing better than destroying Harmony." Then the collar started glowing green and Rainbow's eyes started glowing.

"Rainbow?" asked Twilight. "Are you alright?" Rainbow backed away gripping her head like she was nursing a migraine.

"You took her…away from me…" she groaned. Then Twilight sensed something.

"There's that dark feeling again," she thought. "But way more intense than last time. I have to use the headband. But how?" Then she remembered something her sister told her.

"You may not use the Magic of your Gem in your day-to-day life," she had said. "Only to face Creatures of Discord or Luna. My guide Zecora also told me that you were once a powerful unicorn. So magic is already part of you. And you can channel at least low-level magic with the headband I sent you." Then she remembered something from the night before.

"Aura Analysis!" she thought and her eyes started glowing and she saw a dark green mist around her body. "As I suspected. There's an Aura of Darkness surrounding her body. She's being controlled."

"Rainbow, resist it!" she said. "I'll help you!" Rainbow's eyes shot open and she growled charging at her before she pinned her to the ground by her neck.

"You will pay!" she roared.

"Ra… Rain… bow!" Twilight choked. "I… can't… breathe…"

"And once you're gone, she'll come back to me!" said Rainbow sadistically. Twilight just managed to see the collar surrounded by a thick green mist.

"Th… That necklace… emits higher dark energy… then I realized…" she thought still struggling. "If I can remove it, maybe she'll be released from the spell. But I can't get my hands free. Oh God, she's strong. My strength… is fading… I'm gonna… pass out… Girls… Help… me…"

Amazingly, Rarity, Pinkie, and Fluttershy heard her last thoughts before she passed into unconsciousness. Then as if an answer to her mental prayer, someone came by, grabbed Rainbow and threw her away. Twilight quickly got up and coughed, getting her breath back.

"Who… Who was that?" she thought. She looked and saw it was Applejack.

"Finally, the one I've been waiting for." thought Haze.

"Good thing I took the scenic road today," said Applejack. "What gives, half-pint? You wanna kill her or something?"

"Don't meddle in this, bumpkin," said Rainbow, cracking her neck. "If you don't wanna get hurt."

"Heh." chuckled Applejack. "I really don't like goin' against girls, but someone's gotta teach you some manners, midget."

"Stop insulting me!" shouted Rainbow angrily as she charged. Applejack casually took off her Stetson and put it on Twilight's head.

"Take care of my hat, babe," she said. Soon enough, the two were wrapped up in an extreme hand-to-hand fight. Rainbow tried jumping at her, but she intercepted with a foot in her stomach and threw her away.

"Don't hurt her!" said Twilight.

"Tryin' not to, but that girl's quick as a monkey and twice as pesky…" she replied. Then she saw that Rainbow was still standing. More or less. "What in the world?" she thought. "After a kick like that, men three times larger would've stayed down till morn'. What kinda girl is this?"

"Please listen!" said Twilight. "Try to remove the necklace. It has a spell on it that's controlling her. That's what's making her act like this."

"Are you nuts?" asked Applejack. "You talkin' 'bout witchcraft?" Then Rainbow charged again. Applejack swung to attack, but she missed.

"No friggin way," she thought. "How did she dodge that?" Then Rainbow grabbed both her arms and held them out, using her legs as to hold her steady against her back.

"Any last words before I take you apart like a blonde Potato Head?" she asked.

"This is impossible!" thought Applejack. "This stick figure's stronger than me! So far only my brother could ever hold me down!"

"Nothing? Ah well, either way, good game," said Rainbow.

"Can it be true what that girl said?" thought Applejack. "Is that necklace controlling her and boosting her strength? I thought magicians and witches were hogwash, but I believe what I can see and I see it's real." Quickly, she pushed one of her legs forward, sending Rainbow onto the pavement before she flipped back. "If I don't wanna hung out to dry, I gotta go all out. Whatever it takes to win."


	12. Chapter 4 part 2

**Chapter 4 part 2**

"I gotta do something before they seriously hurt each other," thought Twilight. "Maybe I can use Telekinesis to remove Rainbow's collar. But she seems pretty fast. I have to wait for the perfect opportunity." Then Applejack's shirt and waist-scarf flew onto her. She looked angrily and saw she was in a tank top.

"Argh! Stop throwing your clothes on me!" she shouted. "I'm not a coat rack!"

"Just take care of my stuff for me, will ya?" asked Applejack. "Alright, Pintsize. Time to settle this!"

"You'll regret this, country." said Rainbow.

"Heh. Come on, Monkey girl," said Applejack. "Go all out on me." Rainbow jumped at her and went in for a flying kick.

"I'll show you!" she shouted. Meanwhile, across town, the other girls were still curious about what just happened.

"Am I going crazy or did either of you just hear Twilight asking for our help too?" asked Fluttershy.

"That's how I perceived it, too," said Rarity. "But I'm puzzled as to which way we need to go."

"Don't worry," said Pinkie, pointing one way. "It's the left path. That's where we have to go. My heart told me so!"

"Marvelous work, Pinkie!" said Rarity. "Let's go, Fluttershy!"

"Okay," she said and followed her down the right path.

"Hey! Didn't you hear me?" asked Pinkie. "I said the left one!"

"Because if you say to the left, that means she surely is on the other side." said Rarity.

"Pah! Now they think they're being funny, right?" asked Pinkie to herself before she ran after them. "Wait for me!" On the other side of town, Descent and Nightingale sensed something off about Rainbow.

"What's going on?" asked Nightingale. "Why has Rainbow's aura turned dark? This shouldn't be happening!"

"Right, the collar was only made to increase her negative emotions, not transform her entire aura," said Descent.

"Someone's messing with the collar's magic," thought Nightingale.

"Damn it!" she said. "Change of plans, Descent. We're gonna get Rainbow. Now!"

"Check!" said Descent as a pair of black feathered wings sprouted from their backs and they flew to where the battle was still raging. Applejack tried an upward kick but Rainbow slid under and delivered a roundhouse kick to her stomach. She grimaced, but then she grabbed Rainbow's leg and threw her. But she just spun in the air and landed on her feet smirking.

"Rainbow's skill is incredible!" thought Twilight. "She landed a ton of attacks and she hasn't even gotten hit once. The other girl is just busy trying to protect herself. And every time she tries to attack, Rainbow just dodges and recovers."

"You can't even touch me, you dumb blonde!" Rainbow taunted. "If I'm proud of anything, it's my speed and reflexes. They're the best in town, all thanks to my parkour training!"

"I'll make you pay, midget!" shouted Applejack. Rainbow jumped at her, so she quickly went in for another kick, but Rainbow dropped and rolled under her leg.

"Nice try, farm girl," she said. "You still don't get it, do you? I can read all your attacks! Eat it, moron!" She jumped to attack again, but Applejack quickly dropped to her feet and hands.

"No way!" thought Rainbow. "She moved as quickly as I did!"

"Hope you like my best Sunday kick!" said Applejack.

"I don't think so!" said Rainbow, quickly moving just as Applejack stuck her legs out like a bucking horse, and she grabbed them.

"I don't believe it!" thought Applejack. "She managed to dodge my best attack from that close! That's impossible!" Then Rainbow swung forward and landed perfectly, sending Applejack onto her back. Then she flipped up onto Applejack's stomach and chuckled.

"Heh. You're somethin'," she smirked. Rainbow just started punching her until Applejack grabbed her legs. She was confused, but then Applejack brought both her knees up into her back, catapulting her away like a ragdoll.

"Now! This is my chance to remove the collar!" thought Twilight.

"Don't even think I'll let you intervene, Twilight," thought Haze. "This is not your battle!" Then the gem started glowing brighter.

"Telekinesis!" called Twilight, but nothing happened. "My magic isn't working! But I was just able to use the Aura Analysis a minute ago! Something must be blocking my spiritual energy. Or someone."

"As long as you don't use your Jewel of Harmony," thought Haze, smirking. "I can block your power."

"My turn!" said Applejack, charging at Rainbow. But then she kicked Applejack in the face. With her own technique, sending her to the ground.

"It can't be," she thought. "She used my best attack against me. She must be able to copy techniques she's only seen once."

"I understand why Luna's so obsessed with Rainbow," thought Haze. "Even without her powers activated, her natural abilities are incredible."

"I gotta hand it to ya, kid," said Applejack. "I underestimated you. I thought it was done with that last blow. But apart from my big brother, you're the only one in a coon's age to match me in a fight. I guess I was forced to do whatever I had to in order to win."

"What? What're you talking about?" asked Rainbow, obviously winded.

"Impressive," thought Haze. "Rainbow has proven nearly unbeatable, but it would appear that here, Applejack was in control from the beginning."

"I always have a plan B," explained Applejack. "Y'know, just in case, plan A doesn't work out the way I want it to." Rainbow tried to get up, but her legs were cramping up and she couldn't move.

"What? What's going on?!" she asked.

"Hehehe…" chuckled Applejack. "Y'know, for a second there, I thought I missed. But you finally fell into my trap."

"What?!" asked Rainbow.

"It was almost impossible for me to just attack you," said Applejack. "You're pretty fast, and your reflexes are way better than mine. So you forced me to let you me intentionally from the get-go."

"What?!" thought Twilight. "She let herself get hit on purpose?"

"You said yourself that you're training in parkour," explained Applejack. "Meaning you're using your legs a lot, even in attacks. And as you pride yourself in speed, I do the same with my strength. Ever since I was a youngen, I did hard labor on my pa's farm, day in day out. Thanks to that, I'm all 'round one of the strongest girls in town. Reckon even my waist can take a beatin' or two."

 **Sonic Prime: Be honest here, guys. I'm not the only one thinking that she meant getting sexed, am I?**

"But I gotta admit, some of yer shots had me hurtin'," she continued. "Especially in the face, so I had to use every chance I got to immobilize you. And the only way to do that is to hurt your legs."

"That's what it means to do whatever is necessary," thought Twilight. "Even if you have to get hurt for it."

"And so I had to resort to following the three basic steps of a fight;" said Applejack, picking up a rock. "One: Analyze your opponent. Two: Take it step-by-step, so it fits my game. And three: my favorite part of it all…" Then she crushed the rock in her grip. "All-out attack!" Then she charged and grabbed Rainbow by her shirt. "I win, you lose, dwarf!"

"Don't hurt her!" called Twilight. Applejack just ripped the collar off and held it away.

"I'll smash this demon trinket good!" she shouted and crushed the collar in her grip. Rainbow's eyes flashed with bright light and a black smoke floated off of her, surprising Applejack as she dropped her.

"Phew…" said Twilight. "For a second there, I thought she was gonna hurt her back, At least she managed to break the spell."

"Heh. As I expected, Applejack is extraordinary." thought Haze.

"That smoke came out of the necklace, and the girl," thought Applejack, still trying to wrap her head around what had just happened. "So it's true. She's been bewitched or somethin'."

"Twilight!" called Rarity as she and the others ran over.

"Girls!" said Twilight. "Oh, thank heaven you're here."

"Goodness! What an awful hat you're wearing, Twilight," said Rarity, ticking off Applejack. "It doesn't match any of your clothes."

"Ahhh!" shrieked Pinkie, grabbing Twilight in a hug. "You got nothing to worry about, Twilight! Your bestest friend Pinkie Pie came to rescue you!"

"Pi…Pinkie Pie… I can't…breathe." she gasped.

"Are you okay?" asked Fluttershy as Twilight was put down. "We felt as if you might be in danger."

"Yes you had us rather worried about you," said Rarity.

"We wouldn't know what to do without you, friend." said Pinkie.

"I'm fine girls," said Twilight. "And so happy to have friends like you." Applejack watched them with a forlorn look on her face. Then Fluttershy looked and saw Rainbow unconscious on the ground. Suddenly, Descent and Nightingale flew down and swooped her up.

"Who are those two?" asked Rarity.

"Those dark wings…" remembered Twilight. "Luna had them too."

"This must be a dream or something," thought Applejack. "They're actually flying. On wings."

"Blast it!" thought Haze. "What are those two imbeciles doing here? They're ruining my plan!"

"Chill, girls," said Nightingale. "We're not here for you. We just want Rainbow."

"Nooo!" shouted Fluttershy as they flew away.

"But if you really care for this girl," shouted Descent. "Try to keep up!" Then he uttered a cruel laugh and flew away.

"Twilight, we have to go!" said Pinkie.

"Yes, just give me a moment," said Twilight, giving Applejack back her clothes. "Thanks for helping me. Here's your stuff."

"I really can't get my head around what just happened here, but you better get after that little girl," said Applejack. "It seems you know the stakes way better."

"I know you must have many questions, and if all goes well, I'll answer them later, with my friends," said Twilight. Applejack just put her hat back on and turned away.

"No hard feelings, girl, but get this:" she said. "I don't wanna know jack about you. I only helped you because you were getting strangled in the streets. That doesn't mean I wanna meet you or your companions."

"What?" asked Twilight, genuinely confused.

"Twilight, we have to go," said Rarity. Twilight and Applejack were silent for a while, but the former soon broke the silence.

"Yes," she said. "Let's go after Rainbow." Quickly, they ran after the Shadowbolts, but Twilight was still curious about Applejack, who after a few minutes, had put her clothes back on.

"Sheesh, I look like a slob," she said. "I can't go to school like this. Man, everything that happened here today is just unbelievable."

"Perhaps I can enlighten you a little," said Haze, walking in front of her. "Bearer of Harmony."


	13. Chapter 4 part 3

**Chapter 4 part 3**

Soon enough, Rainbow woke up to see her in Descent's arms… Miles above the ground. Then she saw he had wings.

"Descent!" she cried in shock. "What's happening!? Am I flying?!" Then she pushed against his face in fear. "Let go of me, you monster!"

"Watch it, Rainbow!" he yelled in concern. Soon enough, the three landed and Rainbow pushed herself against a tree in fear.

"Who… or what… are you guys?" she asked.

"Calm down, Rainbow," said Nightingale. "We're gonna explain everything." Meanwhile, the girls were running after the Shadowbolts with Twilight explaining what happened.

"And that's all that happened before you arrived," she said.

"But… But why was Rainbow being controlled?" asked Fluttershy.

"I don't know," said Twilight. "But ever since I saw those two winged ones, I'm sure it was by Luna's command."

"Maybe controlling Rainbow is a means to hurt Fluttershy?" suggested Rarity.

"I don't think so," said Twilight. "Fluttershy obtained her Element of Harmony just yesterday, and Rainbow already had the necklace before that." Then she cursed herself under her breath before she continued. "How could I have been so careless to not realize its dark power…"

"Hopefully we can convince her that we just want to help," said Pinkie. "No offense, Fluttershy, but Rainbow is as stubborn as a rock."

"Actually, before it all escalated like I told you, I was able to talk to her for a little while," said Twilight. "And I could see that she really wishes to be our friend… Besides, if we can't convince her, Maybe Fluttershy can get her thinking straight again."

"No…," said Fluttershy searching her bag. "I don't know if she'll even listen to me now after everything's happened. And you're wrong. There's only one person she can't ever ignore," Then she pulled a gold lightning bolt necklace out of her back and looked at it sadly. "If only he were in Ponyville right now…" Meanwhile, Descent and Nightingale had finished telling Rainbow their side of the story.

"It's hard to believe, but maybe it's true that I was a Pegasus just like you," said Rainbow.

"I know it must be hard to believe and our intention was always to slowly reveal the truth," said Descent. "But you're wrong. Our wings were given to us, by the will of Princess Luna. But you… You really do have the soul of a Pegasus and your power will be awakened soon enough. The best way we can recommend is that you let someone like Luna help you control them."

"But what about Fluttershy?" asked Rainbow. "You said she was a Pegasus too."

"Yes, but she chose to stay with those girls instead of coming with you," said Descent. "It's time you decide what's best for yourself. Luna has something special for all who were ponies in Equestria and needs someone like you to help her. In return, she'll give you total control of your powers. Come, Rainbow. Follow your destiny at the side of our Princess."

"Just imagine, using all your power without limitations, being a hero for Ponyville and all the world," said Nightingale. "And for all that, you just have to prove your loyalty to Luna." Rainbow was concerned but after a minute, she went with it, still not convinced.

"I… I'll do it…" she said.

"Well done, my dear friend," said Nightingale. "Just follow this path and you'll meet up with her. We'll follow you in a little while." With that, Rainbow walked off down the old dirt road.

"Why don't we bring her to Luna immediately?" asked Descent.

"We can't do that," said Nightingale. "For Rainbow's loyalty to change in favor of Luna, she has to cross the barrier herself. In the meantime, we have to stop the others from coming for her…" At the very same time, Haze had just finished explaining everything to Applejack.

"So lemme get this straight," she said, not believing anything. "You're sayin' that these girls and I were ponies with some kind of special powers?" After that, she just started laughing. "Of all the fools linin' up today, you take the cake. Not only do you got the wrong gal, honey, but I've never seen these girls in all my life."

"Quite the contrary," said Haze. "During the occurrences just minutes ago, you demonstrated that you're the very person I was sent to find. Applejack, the reincarnation of the Bearer of Honesty. Also, I never said you knew them in _this_ life."

"And just who the hell are you anyway?" asked Applejack, getting antsy. "You're just some babbling stupid trash."

"Presently, you may call me Haze," he said. "But it's the message that's important here, not the messenger. In the very near future, this world will be threatened by chaos and desolation, and the Bearers have to reunite." Applejack just brushed it off and turned away.

"Best not to talk to crazy people," she said. "I better go."

"Hmm. I didn't expect that attitude," said Haze. "Your personality doesn't resemble that of your pony life at all," Then he pulled a black ribbon out of his vest. "It seems that you're possessing zero commitment to fulfill your obligations as a Bearer." Then he turned on his heel. "Well, since you don't have the desire to do something for the world, I don't think you'll have a problem if I leave with this ribbon I found tied to an apple tree." After hearing that, Applejack stopped and her eyes shrank as she glanced back at the black ribbon in his hand.

"Listen up, blockhead," she said angrily. "If you don't want to get into a world of hurt, you better hand over that ribbon NOW!"

"Fascinating," smirked Haze. "If an ordinary ribbon can charge such enthusiasm, I'm very much looking forward to seeing what attitude you'll show whilst protecting the world." After a good while, Twilight and the others had finally caught up to the two Shadowbolts.

"You two! Where is Rainbow?" barked Fluttershy.

"Hahaha…" laughed Nightingale. "Who'd have thought the weeping girl could show such aggression? First of all, allow us to introduce ourselves; I'm Nightingale, and this is my brother Descent. We're subordinates of the true and only ruler of Equestria, Princess Luna."

"Luna! I knew she was behind all this," said Twilight. "But why manipulate Rainbow's mind? She has nothing to do this!" Nightingale laughed.

"Luna told us you were extremely naïve and lack perception, but until now, I thought she was just exaggerating," she said. "You still don't know that Rainbow is the Bearer of Loyalty?" The girls were shocked.

"What are you saying?" asked Rarity. "How would Luna know that? She can't find that out without the Jewels of Harmony."

"Insolent girl, Luna knows all," said Descent. "Soon Rainbow will get all her powers and use them in service of my lady."

"You're wrong," said Twilight. "The Elements of Harmony only work together."

"Hahaha… It's true that together, the Elements can form a great power, but they can also be used individually. Luna told me that if the Bearer has not yet released its power it can still be changed. In Rainbow's case, the loyalty she had to Fluttershy will soon shift to Luna, and when her powers are awakened, she can only use them for whom she trusted at that time. Which is why we've been manipulating her consciousness, to convince her to unite with us and leave Fluttershy."

"How… How could you do that?" asked Fluttershy. "You're the person responsible for making her act like that."

"Hahaha… True, but we really had two great aids," explained Nightingale. "One was the collar we gave her which increased all her negative emotions. The second was you, who made Fluttershy join you, causing Rainbow's jealousy and fear of losing her only friend to boil over and increase her envy even more."

"As you know, the former sister of Luna, the current Celestia cast a spell that doesn't allow to approach her, but also prevents Luna from entering Ponyville," she continued. "But that invisible barrier around Ponyville only affects Luna, and Rainbow will soon cross it. Not only will she be unreachable for you, but if you did try you'd then be exposed to Luna herself, and you know full well that not even all four of you joined together are still too weak against her. Not to mention, Rainbow has chosen to be loyal to Luna."

"These guys are just heartless and evil," growled Twilight.

"I cannot tolerate this!" said Fluttershy as she transformed. "Nobody does that to my friend!" Then Pinkie zipped in front of Fluttershy with Rarity.

"Stop right there, Fluttershy," said Pinkie. "Don't attack them. That's our job."

"What are you saying?" asked Fluttershy.

"Pinkie's right, dear," said Rarity, removing her white sunhat. "Let us deal with them."

"You need to get to Rainbow before she crosses that barrier, and convince her to change her mind," said Twilight.

"But what about them?" asked Fluttershy. "They have wings like I do, so they'll have an advantage."

"Don't worry about that," said Pinkie. "Twilight and Rarity will take care of that old witch."

"WHO'RE YOU CALLING OLD?!" said an obviously pissed-off Nightingale.

"And I'll handle the handsome guy," said Pinkie. "I'll teach him a few dance moves. It'll be fun!"

"Are you sure you can handle him?" asked Twilight.

"Don't worry, my friend," said Pinkie strangely calm. "Just trust me."

"O… Okay," said Twilight. "Fluttershy, go after Rainbow!"

"On it!" said Fluttershy as she gave her wings a strong flap and flew into the air.

"You think that we'll let one of you go after Rainbow…" said Descent. "First mistake, last mistake!" Then he charged in with his hand glowing with dark magic before a large mass of water appeared in front of him in the shape of what Pinkie's pony form might've looked like. Then he saw Pinkie on some sort of mass of water, laying like that one chick in the "Titanic" movie.

"Hey!" said Pinkie. "I told you you're dancing with me at this party, cute guy." she said.

Descent chuckled and played along. "Okay," he said. "We'll see how long you can dance, crazy girl."

"Now! Mirage!" yelled Twilight and a bright yellow flash erupted from her and Fluttershy.

"Hahaha! Your attacks are pathetic," said Nightingale, shielding her eyes. Then she saw Fluttershy flying past her. "And where do you think you're going?! I said no one's gonna escape this fight, weeping girl!" Then she shot a dark magic blast at Fluttershy, but it just passed through and she disappeared in a cartoonish puff of smoke.

"What?! It was merely an illusion!" she thought astonished. Then she saw that Rarity had raised a rock wall on one side and Fluttershy had flown away over it.

"Well done, Twilight!" said Rarity. "That false image of Fluttershy tricked her perfectly."

Twilight gave a proud chuckle. "Maybe I _am_ naïve, but I've still got some tricks up my sleeves." she said. "Go Fluttershy, go," she thought. "It all depends on you now…"

"Wait for me, Rainbow…" thought Fluttershy. "Please… Don't go." Meanwhile…

"Jackass!" growled Applejack. "Gimme that ribbon!"

"Before that," said Haze. "I have to know if you're really committed to saving the world and joining these girls."

"I already told ya, I got no beef with them," said Applejack (who in case it wasn't obvious yet, is basically the tsundere character here). "I just want me and my family to live in peace. I don't believe in friendship!"

"Hmm… Now that's a problem," said Haze thoughtfully. "There must be a way to make you understand." Then something came to his mind. "And I believe I know how. Perhaps showing you the pain of losing somebody because you didn't help might get you to reconsider."

"What… What do you mean?" asked Applejack, knowing she would regret it.

"Tell me… How far away is the school of your sister, Applebloom?" smirked Haze. Applejack's eyes shrank in fear and Haze gave a triumphant chuckle. "I'd very much like to meet her." he said sadistically.

"Don't you dare get close to her, you crazy idiot!" yelled Applejack, as she went in for a flying kick, but Haze managed to block it. WITH ONE FINGER!

"No!..." thought Applejack. "I can't believe this!"


	14. Chapter 4 part 4

**Chapter 4 part 4**

Applejack quickly jumped back from Haze, both impressed and terrified.

"Who… Who are you?" she asked. "That kick should've ripped your finger off."

"You're strong, but did you really think a girl whose Spirit Powers haven't even woken can defeat someone like me, who knows all hidden secrets this Spirit holds?" asked Haze.

"I don't understand a word you're saying," Applejack said honestly, but with a quiver in her voice.

"To put it in simpler terms, it's like a race in which a small pony is trying to beat a full-grown stallion." said Haze.

"You… You won't get near my sister…" said Applejack defensively.

"That is hardly your decision," said Haze, walking up to her. "But I haven't really come to fight you. My motive was to receive some positive response on your part. But rather unexpectedly, you reject all intention to follow your destiny as a Bearer of Harmony. And now I'm curious to learn what caused this attitude."

"Get away from me!" yelled Applejack. "If you take one more step, I… I swear I will hurt you…"

"You're expectedly stubborn," said Haze. "Even after I stopped your kick, you still believe you can hurt me…" Then he opened his hand to reveal the strange gem from earlier. "But since you insist on threatening me…" Then the gem glowed and Applejack instantly stopped moving.

"What… is happening…" she thought, in extreme pain. "My body… I can't control it anymore."

"When you were fighting the girl named Rainbow, the Bearer of the Element of Magic was about to remove the necklace," explained Haze. "But I was able to stop her with this Spirit Gem, the Emerald of the Damned. If it can block a young woman like Twilight, that already controls and uses her spirit power, just imagine what I can do to somebody who never discovered hers."

"What… What are you planning to do?" asked Applejack as she was forced to kneel.

"To blossom forth the memories that left the strongest marks," said Haze as his free hand started glowing with dark magic. "To find out why you hate friendship…" Then the magic in his hand condensed into a beam which shot into Applejack's head.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" she yelled.

Meanwhile, the battle with the others had already begun the battle with the other Shadowbolts.

"Starstorm!" yelled Twilight as she shot a rain of star-like lights out of her hands.

"Anti-Materia!" yelled Nightingale as she shot out a dark nebula-like blast, devouring the Starstorm.

"Now, Rarity!" yelled Twilight.

"Imprison!" yelled Rarity and a pair of large stone hands shot up on either side of Nightingale, which nearly caught her but she flew out of the way.

"You can't even touch me!" she shouted. "I'm too fast!" Then Twilight jumped up after her.

"Flying won't save you!" she said. "Blade of Energy!" Then just as she swung with the spell, Nightingale flipped over her.

"Silly girl, fighting in the air without any wings. Pathetic," she said and moved a fist to Twilight's back. "Momentum." Then a blast of wind shot out of her hand and sent Twilight falling off the nearby cliff.

"Twilight!" Rarity called, terrified for her friend's life.

"Only you are left, insolent girl," said Nightingale threateningly. In another fight, Pinkie just limboed under Descent's flying punch.

"Let me enjoy this some more!" she laughed and danced more to avoid his other attacks. "If those are your moves, I doubt I'll choose you as a partner for the party we'll be having after we find our lost friend."

"Demons, who is this girl?" thought Descent. "She evaded all my attacks with ease, despite me being the fastest of the Shadowbolts. My princess told me to be especially careful around this girl, but I didn't believe her to be _this_ dangerous." Then Pinkie just swirled water around her hips with her powers.

"Either way… I guess I have to teach you how to swing those hips," she said. Then she sent the water flying at him as projectiles, which he easily dodged and landed on a tree branch.

"I'm sorry girl, but I'm way too fast for you to catch me…" he said. "Also, we don't have _anything_ in common."

"Why not? You're a guy, I'm a girl," said Pinkie. "We're compatible."

"I meant that while you want to make people happy," said Descent as he charged a black flame on his finger. "I prefer to see them suffer! WILDFIRE!" Then he sent a huge burst of black fire down at her, incinerating the ground around her. Then he saw, amazed, that she had survived by encasing herself in a huge water bubble. Then she blew a heart-shaped bubble out of her mouth. Before she shot an arrow-shaped bubble out of her nose. Descent massaged his right temple and sweatdropped.

"This girl is giving me a headache," he thought. "Even on the verge of death, she doesn't stop joking." Meanwhile, Rarity was encased in a large rock shield, taking heavy fire from Nightingale.

"Da… Damn, can't attack her," she thought, struggling to keep the shield up.

"Luna was right," taunted Nightingale. "You're strong at long distance, but up close you're vulnerable." Then she generated a huge Spirit Bomb-like ball of black magic. "Now! To crush you!" Then she threw the blast. But just before it made contact, Twilight reappeared and cast a Barrier spell, blocking the blast and making it explode in the air.

"What! How are you still alive?" asked Nightingale. But Twilight just jumped up higher into the air than before.

"Again, you try to attack from the air," said Nightingale. "You have to learn how to fight, stupid girl!" Twilight just smirked as sparkles fell from her horn and materialized behind her back in the form of…

"Ghostly Wings!" yelled Twilight as she flew up around a shocked Nightingale and karate-shopped her wings, sending her falling to the ground. Rarity brought down the shield and was amazed.

"Twilight! Since when can you fly?" she asked as Twilight landed.

"I'd rather call it jumping with style," said Twilight. "It's a spell my sister taught me last night. After using your magic to boost your jump, the 'Ghostly Wings' Spell allows me to get an extra jump, high speed and controllable."

"It very well kept you alive… It's great," said Rarity. "I need you to teach me how to use that trick one day."

"How about after we win?" suggested Twilight. Then Rarity's eyes went to shoujo hearts as she fantasized.

"Imagine it, butterfly wings and a fitting combination of clothes," she said. "I would look simply divine…"

Twilight sweatdropped. "Could you please just concentrate on the fight?" she asked weakly. Then she saw an orange glow coming from her nearby backpack.

"Rarity, the Jewel of Honesty is starting to shine…" she said and realized. "It must've found its Bearer!"

"What? Where?" asked Rarity.

"I think its presence is coming from the direction we came from," said Twilight, adding up the signs. "Because why else would it react now…" she groaned.

"Twilight, go! We may not get another chance to find her," said Rarity.

"Can you fight Nightingale on your own?" asked Twilight.

"Well, only one way to find out," she said. "But it's your choice."

"No, it's best to leave it for now," said Twilight. "Besides, if Nightingale finds out about her, she could hurt her before her power is awakened. I just hope that she's okay." I'm sorry to say that was wishful thinking as Applejack was being subjected to what was essentially mental torture.

"No… Enough…" she whimpered as tears rained from her eyes. "I don't want to remember anymore… Please… I just want to live with my family in peace…"

"It seems you're being sincere about this…" said Haze. "You really don't want friendship in your life."

"I didn't expect this," he thought, having probed her brain in the most literal sense. "She's a lot like Luna. She was born to suffer for others. If this is true, I can't change her mind, not even with all the power I possess, for her determination comes from the heart."

"Haze… Haze! Where the hell are you?" asked Nightingale telepathically. "We need your help."

"Mmm… I have no choice. I best go and help them," he thought. "I believe I have to let the Bearer of Magic bring back her love of friendship after all. For the sake of my lady, I hope she'll succeed."

"Applejack, I see now that my presence here has served no purpose," he said. "I understand that you don't know them, and don't wish them to be your friends. I must withdraw. My team needs me elsewhere. I hope we meet again someday, however it's possible that you won't recognize me when we do." Then a large pair of wings spread behind him. "And the threat towards your sister… A lie. I'm not interested in her, much less know or want to hurt her. But what I told you about the world being in danger, those words were truthful…" Then he flew away.

"…I don't want to have any friends…" Applejack groaned. "I don't want to suffer anymore…" Meanwhile, Rainbow was still on the long walk out of town, remembering what an old friend told her.

"Gilda, I finally understand," she said. "You were right from the beginning…"

Four years ago, in the frozen wastes of Siberia, Rainbow and her old friend Gilda were sitting on an old bridge, looking down into the frozen river.

"Rainbow, tomorrow you'll move to another city on the other side of the world," said Gilda. "After all the time we've spent together, I can't believe that all the great moments we had will soon be at an end."

"If it wasn't for my father following his work there, I'd stay here with you, my friend," said Rainbow. "I really don't want to go." Then Gilda grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her up.

"Listen Rainbow, no matter how much time it'll take, promise me we'll see each other again." she said.

"Okay, I promise," said Rainbow. Then Gilda grabbed her into a hug.

"Please don't forget me, because I'll never forget you," she said. "Remember that I'm your one true friend. You live your life at full speed, and I'm the only one who can follow in your footsteps." The memory faded and Rainbow was still angry.

"I thought that Fluttershy could fill the void Gilda left. But in the end, she decided to be with those girls," she thought, kicking a rock as she walked. "Now I can only depend on myself and Luna." Thankfully, at that moment, like some sort of perfectly timed Angel, Fluttershy flew in.

"Rainbow!" she yelled. Rainbow was surprised and turned around, shocked to see Fluttershy flap to the ground and revert to normal.

"Fluttershy," she said aghast. "So, it's true, you… have wings as well."

"Rainbow…" Fluttershy panted. "Please… Don't leave me…" Rainbow was still skeptical, but she was so conflicted she didn't know what to do.


	15. Chapter 4 part 5

**Chapter 4 part 5**

Meanwhile, Pinkie and Descent were still fighting. Well, more like Descent was just shooting black fire at her and she was dodging by ice-skating around.

"Dodge my attacks as much as you want, girl," said Descent. "You'll tire out sooner or later." But she didn't, so she managed to get a good angle.

"Now! Frosty Bird Cage!" she yelled and huge spires of cold water shot up around Descent. "Hug of Friendship!" Then the spires wrapped around him, trapping him for a time before he grew angry.

"Enough is enough!" he yelled and blew himself lost in a blast of dark magic flying lower down to Pinkie.

"Hehehe… I got you a little steamed up, didn't I?" she asked. "Admit it. It's because of me, isn't it? Though I gotta admit, that last dance got me pretty hot too. Wait, that came out wrong. Or did it?"

"Crazy girl!" growled Descent. "Stop joking! This is a serious fight!"

"Hmmm… You need to relax, cutie, or you'll end up a grumpy old man… And I'd rather be the crazy fun girl, than a sane boring girl." (That explains a lot). Then she got a bit forlorn. "Also, I don't believe that you want to see me upset… I don't want to become like that again." Descent was amazed and almost felt a pity for her. Keyword: Almost, because then Pinkie just started laughing at him.

"Gotcha!" she laughed.

"Dammit!" he growled. Meanwhile, Rarity was charging up an attack while Twilight distracted Nightingale by jumping from tree branch to tree branch.

"How naïve can you get?" asked Nightingale, blasting after her. "Jump as much as you want, you won't escape my clutches!" Twilight just smirked and held her hands, one over the other.

"I'm not trying to escape," she said as a bright blue ball of energy formed in her hands. "I'm just preparing the perfect moment for my best attack. Stella MAGNA!" Then the ball shot out of her hand as a huge blue energy beam, straight at Nightingale.

"Momentum!" she called and quickly flew out of the way of the beam.

"Dammit, that was too close," she thought. "If I hadn't used Momentum, that attack would've vaporized me. That girl must've raised her level since facing Luna the first time, I think they all have. It looks like their power level increases each time a new Bearer joins them."

"Stupid girl," she said. "You still don't get it, do you? Even your best attacks can't touch me."

"You're calling _her_ stupid? That attack was just a diversion!" yelled Rarity as she wrapped stone around Nightingale's foot.

"What?!" she asked.

"It's all the time I needed to come up with a fabulous plan." she said.

"So that's why you weren't doing anything this whole time," said Nightingale.

"And now you're fully exposed to my attack," said Rarity. "I call on the Right Arm of the Diamond Golem! Manifest!" Then a huge magic circle appeared and spun summoning a huge humanoid arm, armored in silver with diamonds for knuckles.

"I don't have the power to summon the Diamond Golem in its complete form, but this arm alone will be more than enough to defeat you. Now! Elegant Strike!" Then the arm extended its index finger and shot down toward Nightingale, and it nearly made contact. Just before it did, something got in the way. Something that shocked everyone else.

"No… This is impossible!" said Rarity.

"Ha… Haze!" said Nightingale in amazement. Haze had appeared just between Nightingale and the arm, blocking the finger with a green energy shield.

"Rarity, that guy just stopped your monster's attack one-handed." said Twilight, amazed.

"…I can't believe it… But who is this guy? I didn't think there was another member of their group." said Rarity.

"Haze, where the hell have you been? I thought you'd never show up," said Nightingale.

"I warned you about underestimating them, Nightingale," said Haze. "They aren't the Bearers of Harmony for nothing."

"Twilight, can you use some sort of magic to find out how powerful that guy is?" asked Rarity.

"My sister wanted to teach me how to measure an enemy's power level with the Aura Analysis tonight," said Twilight. "We faced that Manticore just yesterday. I didn't think we'd have to fight again so soon afterward."

"Why not summon Fausticorn like you did before?" asked Rarity.

"I can't," said Twilight. "I need a lot of Spiritual Energy to do that. That's why my sister wanted to teach me to analyze the power levels of their Auras. So I can see early on if a summoning would be a waste of power. Besides, Celeste told me that repeatedly summoning an alicorn just to get information is showing a lack of respect for a divine entity on the level of Fausticorn."

Nightingale laughed. "Now we're on the same level, Twilight," she said. "Let's see which team is more powerful. That of Celestia, or of the Great Luna."

"Twilight, you deal with Nightingale, leave the big one to me," said Rarity.

"Are you sure? He blocked your attack," said Twilight.

"That's why I want to face him," said Rarity. "He made my invocation look simply pathetic."

"Alright, but be careful," said Twilight as she jumped away.

"Nobody makes me look like a fool," said Rarity as she raised herself up on a rock pillar. She began pontificating at Haze, but he wasn't listening.

"I still don't understand Applejack's attitude," he thought. "I always thought humans would be willing to do anything to become powerful… but that girl outright rejects it. Why can't I stop thinking about her?"

"Blockhead, are you even listening to me?" asked Rarity.

"Listen well, Rarity, I'm really not in the mood to fight right now," he said. "I detest it when things don't go down the way I planned them. Now, I'm giving you the chance to retreat. But in case you choose to fight, here's a fair warning. I don't care if you're a woman." Then he looked slightly out from under his hood, showing his cutting blue eyes. "I'll attack without mercy."

"I'll finish you off before you can even lift a finger," said Rarity.

"We'll see about that," said Haze as green energy built up on his first two fingers.

"Diamond Golem, Attack!" ordered Rarity and the arm charged in a punch.

"Venomous Excalibur!" called Haze, sending a green arc from his fingers, cutting the arm straight down the middle. Rarity, knowing she would befall the same fate unless she was quick, jumped to one side just as the arc sliced through the pillar she was on.

"Haze?!" asked Nightingale amazed.

"Was that… a Blade of Energy?" thought Twilight. "No, that was way more powerful. It obliterated Rarity's invocation like it was nothing." Rarity had landed on the ground close by and was terrified when she saw how clean the cut was.

"If… If that attack had hit me…" she thought. "I… I'd be dead."

"The Diamond Golem is a powerful and practically indestructible creature. Very difficult to summon, but if done so successfully, the battle's practically already won. Even if you only summon an arm."

"But you forgot one very important fact, Rarity," he continued. "Its property of being indestructible depends heavily on the strength of its Summoner. And that property requires its Summoner to have a level of at least 40, a level you're not even close to right now. So in conclusion, that makes it as fragile as crystal." Rarity tried to get up and run, but she couldn't move.

"What… What's happening to me?" she asked. "I can't move a muscle."

"That's the power of the Venomous Excalibur," said Haze. "Not only does it cleave through almost anything in its way, it has a nice little side effect. If you're within two meters of it, you'll be paralyzed for a few minutes. I did fairly warn you, didn't I Rarity? How regrettable." Then he charged.

"Help!" Rarity thought. "HELP ME!" she shouted, and by some miracle, Spike heard it… just before it felt like someone punched him.

"What? What was that?" he thought, clutching his chest. "It felt like something punched me in the chest."

"Oof… I hope the girls are alright," he said. Meanwhile…

"Rainbow, don't go to Luna," said Fluttershy. "She's just using you."

"Yeah right, just like those girls were using you to make me feel bad," said Rainbow.

"How can I make you understand that they're not against you? They just want to be friends with us," said Fluttershy.

"But I am your only friend!" said Rainbow. "And you have to listen to me!" That clearly made something snap inside Fluttershy's mind because she then back-handed Rainbow across the face, leaving a big red mark on her cheek.

"Enough!" she sobbed. "I'm not your pet! I'm not your property! I've always been there when you needed me, but I'm entitled to have other friends. I love you Rainbow, really I do, but you don't own me!"

"Then stay with your friends!" said Rainbow angrily. "I promised my new friends that I'd go to meet Luna, and I won't let them down."

"What about the promise you made to _him_? Did you forget about that?" asked Fluttershy.

She hadn't, but she didn't want to betray the Shadowbolts "I… I don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm talking about the promise we made to him," said Fluttershy, grabbing Rainbow by the shoulders and letting tears flood her eyes. "The one we made three years ago. I'm talking about Soarin, the person you most admire. Did you forget about him too? Remember, Rainbow… Please remember our promise."

"So… Soarin," Rainbow sobbed quietly.

 _Cut to Narrator_

 **With the new teammate of the Shadowbolts, the fight's gotten more complicated and Fluttershy now has the responsibility to get Rainbow back with the help of a forgotten promise. What could that mysterious promise be that she made to that special person three years ago? The answer to this and other important questions… Next time!**

 _ **To Be Continued…**_


	16. Chapter 5 part 1

**BTDubs, before I begin this next part, I've been looking for a dub of the original English comic (Because it's also in Spanish) literally everywhere on YouTube, but all that turned up was the Spanish version. And I've literally only taken one year of Spanish in school. Well, a year and a half if you count that semester in middle school, but I digress. So seriously, if someone could find an English version of the actual comic, or better yet make one, that'd be great. But there must be voices! And badass anime sound effects. Okay, the end here's the next bit.**

 **Chapter 5 part 1**

 _Narrator_

Sometimes, a girl's life is not as easy as people might think. They often have to fight the contempt and ridicule of their peers, causing them to doubt that in this world, there's someone who cares or values them. But sometimes a person appears to remind them that even the loneliest girl has someone she cares about.

 _Main Flashback POV_

Three years ago, Ponyville wasn't much different than it is in the present, and on one particular day, a young man with blue hair and green eyes was resting nearby. This was, of course, Soarin of Wonderbolts Academy, and he was just on his way to France in a few days, so he figured a little rest would be best for him, so he picked a spot near where a group of kids was playing soccer.

"Ah…" he thought. "This is the life. Fresh air and sunshine. The perfect day to get some shuteye before leaving for France." Then out of nowhere, the soccer ball flew through the air and hit him square in the face.

"Ouch!" he yelled catching the ball in his right hand. "What the?"

"Hey, slacker! Gimme the ball!" yelled one of the boys in a weird voice.

"Slacker…?" asked Soarin as he rolled the ball back to him.

"Daring, hurry up!" yelled another of the boys.

"Yeah! Here I come!" Daring yelled to him. Soarin was confused but then he saw Daring dodge the other boys and flip-kick the ball straight into the goal.

"Goooaaal!" he yelled.

"Nice moves, Daring," said one of the boys.

"Yeah! You should join our team," said the other.

"Seriously? I'd love to!" said Daring happily.

"Bravo! Bravo! Girl! You're incredible!" cheered Soarin, spiking a strange look from the boys and a fearful look from "Daring".

"'Girl'?" The first boy asked. Then he yanked Daring's hat off and he was revealed to a young Rainbow. But she didn't look a lot like she did now; mostly because her hair was blue. "What!? You're the girl who wanted to play with us yesterday."

"Yeah, and you didn't let me play, so I pretended to be a boy," she said.

"Don't you get it?" asked the second boy. "We don't wanna play with a girl!"

"You're just jealous because I can beat you with my eyes closed," said Rainbow.

"If you wanna act like a child, then we're gonna treat you like one," said the first boy. He moved to give her a shove, but Rainbow flipped over him and started running, but not before pulling down on the skin under her eye and sticking out her tongue at them.

"Booo… You're way too slow to catch me…" she said and ran off.

"Incredible! That kid has good jumping skills and reflexes," thought Soarin impressed.

"Catch her!" yelled the second boy.

"Aw crap, I didn't think that through far enough! Gotta dash or I'm in for a world of hurt," said Rainbow as she ran. "Aw boy, I got a back-of-the-head punch coming, I just know it."

"Hehehe… Great…" thought Soarin as he got up. "I got a good feeling about this." Then he took off, running after Rainbow quickly catching up.

"Hey! Girl! Yeah, you managed to fool them…" he laughed.

"What? The fool already caught up with me?" Rainbow thought.

"Yeah, but I was found out, thanks to you busybody!" she said angrily.

"Ok, ok, I'm sorry," said Soarin. "To make up for it, I'll help you get away from them. Just watch me and do what I do, and I assure you you'll manage to get away easily." Then he ran on ahead.

"Who is this guy?" thought Rainbow. Then he jumped into a crease in a wall and horizontally jumped up to the ledge before he kept going. "Amazing! Hmm… If that slacker could do it, I can do it, too…" She did, but she struggled to get up the ledge.

"Attagirl." thought Soarin. "Let's see just how special you are." After a few minutes, Soarin and Rainbow were jumping and climbing no matter the terrain. Then once Rainbow made it up to a ledge, she saw Soarin standing near the ledge.

"Time to prove your worth, kid," he smirked as he moved back. Then he ran back and jumped. "Follow me!" he yelled as landed perfectly on his feet on the next building, which was much lower than the other one.

"That's awesome! That gap is huge, and the landing must've hurt his legs." thought Rainbow.

"Your turn, kid!" yelled Soarin. "You decide! Turn around and let those kids kick your butt, or jump down and discover something new in your life!"

"You're insane! I'll never be able to make that leap!" said Rainbow as she walked away. "I seriously have to be crazy…"

"Oh, I thought I'd found that special someone…" thought Soarin. (Pedo Alert!) Then Rainbow came running back.

"Ahhh! I'M CRAAAZYYY!" she yelled and jumped off the building, soaring through the air towards the other roof.

"Wow! It's like watching a Pegasus take flight for the first time!" thought Soarin. "There's no doubt! It's her! The girl I saw in my dream."

"What is this feeling…" thought Rainbow as she sailed through the air. "I'm terrified, but at the same time, I feel… free."

"Oh hell! That jump was too short, she won't make it!" thought Soarin in fear as Rainbow started falling and flailing in the air, screaming.

"I knew it! I'm gonna die!" she cried. Quickly, Soarin jumped up, grabbed her in mid-air, flipped off the building and landed perfectly on the roof of the other building with her in his arms.

"I got you, my little Pegasus," he said.

"What did you do?" she thought in awe. Then Soarin saw the boys from earlier.

"Hey, guys! If you jump, I promise you to hand over the little girl! And don't worry! I'll save you!" he yelled up at them.

"What!? You're gonna hand me over?!" asked Rainbow fearfully.

"No-no-no, this is gonna be great, shut up," said Soarin.

"Forget it, Crazy guy…" yelled one of the boys.

"I'll catch you one day, girl!" yelled the other and they left.

"He! It's easy to distinguish the common people from those who dare to make a difference," said Soarin.

"Ah! Let go of me, ya blockhead…" said Rainbow, pushing him away.

"Huh. I save you and that's the thanks I get? That's funny," he said.

"First of all, it was your fault in the first place," said Rainbow. "You ratted me out. But how did you know I was a girl?"

Soarin chuckled. "That's easy," he said. "I've spent years doing sports with women and you learn their movements always differ from those of a man. By the way, why did you pretend to be a boy anyway?"

"You saw it already," said Rainbow. "Those kids don't let girls play with them, and they're also members of my school's soccer team."

"Ah! I thought it was because you were under six…" said Soarin. Yeah, Rainbow was still short back in those days, so people mistook her age a lot. Needless to say, it pissed her off to no end as she went chibi and started biting on Soarin's head.

"Ah! Idiot! I'm ten!" she yelled.

"Ouch! I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" he said, lifting her off. "But then, why don't you make a team with your friends?"

"I… I don't have any friends in this city," said Rainbow embarrassed.

"Oh… really? And your classmates?" asked Soarin.

"I don't get on well with them…" she said. "They're only interested in makeup and pretending to be teenagers. I prefer to do sports, to feel the effort and to achieve something." Soarin laughed. "Don't mock me!"

"I'm not mocking, my little Pegasus," said Soarin. "I'm just happy I just heard you say that."

"And stop calling me little Pegasus," said Rainbow. "I have a name…"

"Hehe… Okay then, what is it?" he asked.

"Ra… Rainbow." she blushed.

"That's such a cute name," said Soarin.

"You… You think so?" she asked.

"Of course!" said Soarin, rubbing her head. "But you know what'd go great with a name like that? Color your hair like a rainbow, you'd look great!"

"You're crazy," said Rainbow bluntly. "What do I look like, a clown?"

"Hey, it's just my opinion," said Soarin. "I like rainbows."

"Hey, you haven't told me your name yet," realized Rainbow.

"You're right…" chuckled Soarin. "I'm the famous Soarin of the Elite Wonderbolts. Hehehe…"

"O…k?" asked Rainbow.

"Oh girl, you don't know me?" asked Soarin. "If you live here, you should know who I am. And about Wonderbolts Academy."

"Don't be angry," said Rainbow. "My dad and I just moved here two months ago, and I still can't get used to this place."

"Well then, let me explain;" said Soarin. "The Wonderbolts Academy is a center of studies, but also responsible for preparing athletes of the highest level. But not in Common Sports, mind you. "We're going in the Extreme! The number of extreme athletes has increased over the years. Now tournaments are drawing people worthy of being in the Olympics. But the Wonderbolts Academy is just one of several that exist in the world."

"Amazing!" said Rainbow. "But you said you're one of the Elite Wonderbolts, what do you mean by that?"

"Although I'm only 16 years old, I'm considered, along with two girls, as the best of the best in the Academy. But they wouldn't call me Elite if not for my second job," explained Soarin. "Spitfire, Fleetfoot and I belong to the Tactical and Rescue Division of the Wonderbolts."

"And what do they do?" asked Rainbow.

"Well, it'd work best with an example," said Soarin. "Say a building collapses, or there's a fire or some other natural disaster, and there are people trapped in such a way the common rescue teams can't reach them. That's where we come in." He smirked, remembering the last time they were called in. "We get called in for our acrobatic skills since we can reach many of the places others can't."

"So… You're… Like… Superheroes?" asked Rainbow.

Soarin gave a proud laugh. "Exactly!" he said.

"Awesome! That's 20% cooler!" she yelled, confusing Soarin.

"What'd you say?" he asked.

"Then I wanna enter the Academy too!" said Rainbow.

"Excellent…" said Soarin. "You just need to pay $20,000 to study for a year." Rainbow was shocked.

"WHAAAT?! 20 grand, that's ridiculous! Your family must be millionaires!" said Rainbow.

Soarin laughed. "Are you kidding me? I'm an orphan," he said. "I just got into the Academy, because I won a scholarship at a tournament."

"Tournament?" asked Rainbow.

"Every four years, there's a competition in this city where the first four places of the different disciplines of the sport are given the scholarship to study at the Academy," explained Soarin. "But the most important one is the parkour competition because the first-place winner is rewarded with the special training to join the Elite Wonderbolts."

"What's parkour?" asked Rainbow.

"Kid, you've been doing it with me this whole time," Soarin laughed. "In the tournament, you run a race… but it's a lot different from a track-meet because there is no defined path. You decide the path to the goal yourself. And it just hit the four-year mark. In three months, they'll host the tournament. It'd be great if you took part."

"You really believe I could win?" asked Rainbow. "I'm still just a girl."

"Hey, it doesn't matter what _I_ believe, but don't you think that by entering the tournament, you might end up discovering what you've always been looking for?" asked Soarin.

"And what's that?" asked Rainbow.

"What's something you'll have to find out for yourself, my little Pegasus," said Soarin. "But I think you'd seriously be one of the best in the academy. Ever since you jumped, you showed me that you have the determination to achieve the impossible. Plus, you can't deny that while you were in the air for those few seconds you felt free as if in a past life you were a butterfly, a hawk, or maybe even a mythological Pegasus. And personally, I'd love for you to be part of the team."

"Yeah! I wanna be a Wonderbolt!" said Rainbow hopefully.

"Excellent. Listen. At 8, I gotta take the plane back to France, but I still have time to teach you some basic maneuvers that'll serve you well…"

"Ok! Teach me! I'm a very good student!" said Rainbow.

"That's what I like to see!" he said. "Let's begin." Soarin taught her everything he could about parkour, but there was more to it than that. He gave her back the faith to trust in someone. Even though she only knew him for a few hours, she felt like knowing him for a lifetime, as if he was the big brother she never had. It was almost 8, so they wrapped up.

"Well, I think it's time for me to go," he said. "Remember what I taught you, ok?"

"Yeah! I'll train every day after school till I can enter that tournament," said Rainbow.

"Alright, my little Pegasus…" said Soarin, handing her something. "And so you don't forget your words, keep this necklace safe for me."

"What is it?" she asked, looking at it to see it was a gold lightning bolt.

"It's the symbol of the Wonderbolts," said Soarin. "I want you to have it until you enter the Academy. I know you can do it."

"I'll do it, Soarin! Count on it!" she said. Soarin chuckled and rubbed her head before he left for France. Rainbow kept her promise and practiced daily after school. And although the other students taunted her, she didn't care. If she were able to win that tournament, she could go with Soarin to a better place.

"All that time, I thought that my life could only be with Soarin until you showed up," remembered the present Rainbow. "You, who unlike my old friend Gilda, was never an expert in sports. You, the shy and fragile Fluttershy."


	17. Chapter 5 part 2

**Chapter 5 part 2**

Rainbow still remembered the day she first met Fluttershy like it was yesterday. It was after school a few days after Soarin left for France. She was walking proudly with her necklace out for everyone to see.

"Finally!" she thought. "Now that classes are over, I can continue with my training…" Then she saw a large group of people nearby, almost as if they were gathered around something. She peeked in and saw three girls standing over another one, who was covered in red paint. (At least, I'm pretty sure it was all red paint.) That was Fluttershy before the two met.

"Why… Why are you doing… this…" she sniffed. "I thought we would be… friends…"

One of the girls laughed cruelly at her. "Don't make me laugh! We'd never be friends with a freakish animal lover," she said.

"You're not good for anything, not even to copy from you in exams," said another.

 **Sonic Prime: Sheesh. And I thought these girls were bitches before I started writing down the dialogue. This is just evil.**

"It'd be better if you weren't in this school," said the last. "No, not even in this city."

"Hey, do you know what's going on?" one of the boys asked.

"Yeah, that girl on the ground is in my class, along with the others," said another. "They're mistreating her all the time, but today they started being nice to her all of a sudden. It really surprised me to see them that friendly.

"Today, she was supposed to join their group, but it was just a trap to pull a cruel prank on her." he finished.

"So, shouldn't we help her?" asked the first one.

"Not a chance," said the second one. "That girl is letting herself get insulted all the time, and she never gets them to respect her. Why should we help her?" Rainbow looked at the girl as she sobbed and rubbed the paint away from her eyes. But then, Rainbow just walked away.

"This is none of my business," she thought. "That guy was right. If she doesn't get others to respect her, why should we help her get respected?" That evening, Rainbow was done training and was walking home.

"Whew!" she exclaimed. "That was tiring. It's best if I get home and finish up tomorrow." Then she saw something. "Who's that on the bridge?" she thought. It was Fluttershy, and she was still covered in paint. "Oh, it's that girl I saw in school. What's she doing here?"

"…Why… Why does nobody like me?…" she thought as pink butterflies flew around her. "I try to be nice to everyone and yet they always laugh at me…" Then she climbed up onto the side railing of the bridge, terrifying Rainbow.

"No! She's not thinking about…" she thought, but she knew she was at her next statement.

"I'm so tired of it all! It would've been better if I had never been born!" she sobbed and began to lean forward.

"Yes…" she thought. "It'll be better for everyone if I'm not in this world anymore…" She almost fell off, but Rainbow quickly grabbed her by the back of her shirt and threw her back onto the other side.

"What were you thinking!? Jumping into the river?!" asked Rainbow. "You stupid girl!"

"Leave me alone! All will be better once I'm not here anymore!" sobbed Fluttershy.

"How can you be so stupid, trying to please those who keep hurting you… by throwing your life away!?" asked Rainbow.

"You don't understand," said Fluttershy. "Since I just arrived in Ponyville, I'm hated by everybody, nobody in this city likes me."

"That's a lie!" shouted Rainbow. "There's always somebody who loves us." Then she looked at her necklace. "I gotta admit, I thought like you just a short while ago. But somebody showed me that in this world, there are always people who respect and love us. You must have someone like that."

"My… My mother…" said Fluttershy.

"Then live for her…" said Rainbow.

"But I don't want her to suffer because of my problems." said Fluttershy.

"And you believe that she'll be relieved with your death?" asked Rainbow. "The only thing that's going to cause for your mother is more pain. Don't take your life for those who hate you, live it for someone you love and who loves you." Then she snapped and went chibi in rage. "And if you do something as foolish as that again, you'll force me to jump with you! You hear me?!" Then she ran off ranting to herself.

 **(Return to present)**

"For a moment, I saw something in you I'd never seen before," said Fluttershy. "I saw love, loyalty, and the possibility of knowing friendship."

"From that day on, you kept watching me from a distance…" said Rainbow. "I knew you were there, but I always thought you were doing it to mock me, like all other girls… Until one day, you decided to talk to me."

 **(Return to Flashback)**

Rainbow was training yet again out in the forest when she looked over her shoulder, knowing Fluttershy was there.

"That girl's spying on me again…" she thought before she tripped on a rock and scraped her knee. "Ouch! That hurts…"

"He… Hello… Are you… doing well?" asked Fluttershy, coming forward. "My… My name is Fluttershy. I'm the girl from-"

"I know who you are…" said Rainbow. "Why are you spying on me?"

"I'm sorry," said Fluttershy. "I didn't want to bother you… But you see, I admired your effort… I could never do that. I'm not good at sports."

"It's okay," said Rainbow, trying to push herself up. "Just let me- Ouch!"

"Oh! You hurt yourself," said Fluttershy, opening her bag. "Let me help you."

"It's nothing, really," said Rainbow.

"No!" said Fluttershy, digging out a first aid kit out of her bag. "It's vital that the wound gets cleaned, or it could get infected and stop you from practicing." Then she held a cotton swab with a drop of medical alcohol over the wound. "Don't worry. I know how to treat wounds."

"Why do you have all these bandages and stuff in your bag?" asked Rainbow, looking in the first aid kit. "Do you wanna be a nurse or something?"

"I'm… a little delicate," said Fluttershy. "I… I hurt myself very easily." Rainbow had already put the pieces together.

"Those girls from the other day…" she said. "They don't just mistreat you. They beat you too."

"I… I don't want to talk about it," said Fluttershy, bandaging her leg. "Done! Now you'll be able to continue practicing, but you have to change the patch every day."

"Th… Thanks," said Rainbow, testing it out. It was surprisingly resilient, so she stood up. It still hurt a bit, but it was a lot better.

"It's nothing…" said Fluttershy, giving a little bow. "I won't bother you anymore. Take care."

"Rainbow…" she said.

"Sorry?" asked Fluttershy.

"My name is Rainbow," she said.

"A pleasure to meet you, Rainbow…" said Fluttershy.

 **(Back to present)**

"In those moments, something happened to me that was very much like what I felt when I first met Soarin," remembered Rainbow. "From that day on, you went to see me every afternoon, occasionally helping me, and it became such a routine that sometimes I didn't even start training before I was sure you were there. Little by little, we became very close, up until the point when we, without even realizing it, had become very good friends. And finally the three months had passed and the day I expected most had arrived."

 **(Back to Flashback)**

"Welcome to the fourteenth tournament of the Wonderbolts Academy!" said the announcer. "Held here in the city where we started as a small school for athletes! Until it became the most prestigious academy of today, in France, for the most outstanding athletes in extreme sports! And the winner of our penultimate competition of the day: Lightning Dust! At 10 years of age, she won the parkour SS competition in the children's category…"

"Rainbow, wasn't that the race you wanted to compete in?" asked Fluttershy.

"No, in that competition, you can only get into the academy," said Rainbow. "Soarin told me to enter the adult category because if I win that, you can study to become an Elite Wonderbolt."

"Ah… I understand…" said Fluttershy. "Rainbow, can I ask you something else?"

"Shoot," said her friend.

"Why did you ask me to dye your hair?" she asked. Rainbow's hair looked just like it did in the present, and it looked cool.

"Ahm… It's just I…" said Rainbow. "I… I just thought that since I'm gonna win that tournament for sure, it would be a good idea to do it in a good look."

"About that," said Fluttershy. "If you win the tournament, does that mean this will be the last day we spend together?" Rainbow realized she was right.

"You… You're right! I hadn't thought of that," she said thoughtfully.

"But that's no reason for you to feel bad," said Fluttershy jovially. "Thanks to you, I'm more confident and don't fear anything…" Then she saw her shadow and jumped behind Rainbow. "Someone's following us!"

"Flutters…" groaned Rainbow. "That's your shadow…" Then the speakers blared.

"Attention esteemed visitors! The moment has finally arrived to present the most important trio of our academy!" said the announcer. "They're not only our most beloved athletes! They're also great heroes that have saved countless lives around the world! Here they are! The Elite Wonderbolts!"

"First, we present the most beautiful and the expert in water-sports!" said the announcer. Then a woman, who looked Italian, was pushed out of the water by a dolphin, landing perfectly on the beach, kicking off her flippers, and striking a pose. She had pink eyes and white eyes streaked with aquamarine. She was wearing waterproof shoes and gloves, along with a one-piece swimsuit. "Originating from the city of Surfer's Paradise and 15 years of age! Our Siren of the Pacific! The Formidable Fleetfoot!"

"Now, descending from the beautiful clears above Ponyville!" he continued as another girl dove down from a plane high above swooping down in a wingsuit before she deployed a parasail and glided down to the ground. "The Expert in Air Sports!" Then she unclipped the parasail, pulling a loop before skidding to a stop on the ground. "16 years of age and born in the village of Kitty Hawk." Then she unzipped her wingsuit and removed her goggles and gave a determined look. She had orange and amber hair and cutting orange eyes. "The Captain of the Elite Wonderbolts! The indomitable Spitfire!"

"And finally, he's this city's favorite son!"

"Fluttershy!" squealed Rainbow. "I can finally show you Soarin!"

"The expert in all terrestrial sports!" said the announcer. "Winner of all competitions he has ever competed in! Including the last Extreme Olympics! The Incredible SOARIN!" Then the camera cut to show him fast asleep in a chair.

"He… He's the Incredible Soarin?" Fluttershy sweatdropped and Rainbow did an anime-style pratfall, before looking at him extremely confused.

"And… he fell asleep again," groaned Spitfire, massaging her temples.

"I… I just can't stand this…" growled Fleetfoot before she went over and slapped him awake. "Idiot! You ruined the presentation! AGAIN!"

"Ouch!" yelled Soarin, waking up just before he hit the ground.

"You seriously need to stop training at night," said Spitfire.

"Okay, okay, I'm up!" he said. "I'd better get changed. The race is about to start. I'm gonna take a little walk to get a good look at the track."

"Attention, participants," said the announcer. "The registration for participation in the Super Special Parkour Tournament will close in five minutes."

"Rainbow! You have to sign up!" said Fluttershy.

"You're right!" said Rainbow and ran to the table just before the registrars were getting up to leave. "Hey, mister… I want to participate."

"What do you want, girl?" asked the girl there.

"I just said. I want to participate," said Rainbow.

The guy laughed. "Afraid you're too late, kid," he said. "The children's category already ended an hour ago."

"I know that," said Rainbow. "I came for the main competition… The one that determines a future member of the Elite Wonderbolts!"

"If you think I'm letting a six-year-old compete in a tournament for seniors, you must be crazy," said the guy, which pissed Rainbow off to no end.

"I'M TEN, YOU OLD JACKASS!" she yelled at him.

"E… Even if you're ten, only those 15 or older can enter this one," said the registrar.

"AAAH! I WANNA COMPETE!" cried Rainbow.

"Rainbow, calm down," said Fluttershy.

"Hey, guys!" said a familiar voice. "What's going on here?" Rainbow blushed as he heard him, and Fluttershy was confused.


	18. Chapter 5 part 3

**Chapter 5 part 3**

"Soarin! It's you! I knew we'd meet you here!" said Rainbow happily. Soarin just seemed confused.

"I'm sorry?" he asked. "Do we know each other?"

"What?" asked Rainbow, starting to tear up. "But… But Soarin, don't you remember me?" Soarin looked at her closer before he slapped his knee and broke out laughing.

"Just kidding, Rainbow," he said. "Of course I remember you…" Rainbow was pretty much broken, so she started biting on his leg in angst.

"Aaah… Never ever make that kind of joke, you IDIOT!" she growled.

"Ok, ok, never again!" said Soarin anxiously. Then he noticed something different and gave her a weird look, chuckling. "I see you colored your hair," he smirked. "You did it for me, right?"

"Th… That… Forget it, I only did it be… because I wanted a new look." said Rainbow defensively.

"Hmmm, ok… What a pity," said Soarin, seeming distraught. "Because actually, I liked your hair more when it was all blue."

"What! Hey, don't say things like that," said Rainbow angrily. "It's colored because you said-" Then she realized she had walked right into another of Soarin's tricks. "AAAH! Stop teasing me!" she said, waving her fists at him as he held her back, laughing.

"Ok, ok, that was the last joke, promise," he said and touched her forehead to his. "Seriously though, I'm happy to see you again, my little Pegasus. And by the way, you look very pretty with those colors in your hair." Rainbow blushed at his kind words and smiled. Then Soarin noticed Fluttershy. "Hmmm? And who are you, little one?"

"I… I…" she stuttered. Rainbow moved around to her friend and hugged her.

"She's my friend, Fluttershy," she said. "I met her a few days after you left. She's helped me with my training." Then she gave a proud chuckle as Soarin kneeled down to her.

"Great!" he said. "Hello, cutie. It's nice to meet you." Fluttershy was a little nervous and backed up.

"Hey Rainbow, is there something weird on my face?" he whispered. "She seems to be afraid of me."

"Nah, this is natural behavior for her," said Rainbow. "She's just a little shy."

"By the way, have you signed up yet?" he asked.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that," said Rainbow pointing to the guy behind the table. "This idiot doesn't want to sign me up. Says I'm not old enough to enter."

"Soarin, you know that only those who are 15 years or older can participate." said the registrar.

"Hmmm… True," he said before he smirked. "But then again, rules _are_ meant to be broken… Just let her run."

"What?! You're crazy!" said the guy. "I won't do it. What if she decides to use rooftops and ends up falling? We can't afford another lawsuit for that. Besides, do you want it on your conscience if something happens to the kid?"

"Hmmm… That's true," said Soarin, before he looked at Rainbow. "Rainbow, if they let you participate, you'll have to promise me that you won't use the roofs or any dangerous life-risking path, deal?"

"Ok, Soarin," said Rainbow. "If you ask me to, I won't use those paths."

"Great!" said Soarin, turning back to the registrar. "Now there's nothing to worry about. You can enter her in the tournament now."

"And you're believing her?! That easily?!" asked the registrar.

"Of course," said Soarin. "She's never lied to me before. Why would she start now?" Then Spitfire and Fleetfoot walked up behind him.

"Soarin, what's going on?" asked Spitfire. Soarin instantly went as blue as his hair. A few minutes of explanation later…

"YOU'RE INSANE!" yelled Spitfire. "Whatever the reason, she can _not_ participate!"

"But Spit, you haven't seen her move! She's an incredible athlete!" said Soarin.

"That doesn't matter," said Spitfire. "The tournament is too dangerous for a girl-"

"Hey, woman…" said Rainbow.

"What do you want, kid?" asked Spitfire.

"Are you his girlfriend?" asked Rainbow. Spitfire and Soarin looked at each other embarrassed before Spitfire jumped away.

"Stupid girl! I'd never be with this good-for-nothing slacker!" she yelled. Soarin just sweatdropped and gave a weak chuckle.

 **Deadpool:** **REJECTED!** ***slaps a stamp reading "Rejected" on Soarin's forehead***

 **Sonic Prime: Deadpool, I swear to God!**

 **Deadpool: Follow, fav, and stay tuned! Woop, woop-woop-woop-woop-woop-woop-woop-woop! *runs away like Dr. Zoidberg from "Futurama" ***

 **Sonic Prime: Prick.**

"Whew…" said Rainbow, relieved. "Well, now let me participate."

"I already told you, no!" said Spitfire.

"But I-!" she said.

"No matter what you say, it won't change my opinion," said Spitfire. Then Fluttershy zipped up next to Rainbow and held her hat in front of her innocently.

"P…Please, she's worked so hard every day after classes to be able to participate in this race," she begged.

"Yes! Please… I promised myself." begged Rainbow. Then Soarin slid in behind them.

"Cmon Spit, don't be mean," he said. "Or are you telling me that these little faces don't break your heart?" Then they all gave her the puppy-dog eyes, and Spitfire sweatdropped.

"Ah man, those puppy-dog eyes again," she thought. "I feel really bad now."

"What do you think, Fleetfoot?" she asked.

"Hey, don't ask me…" she said. "I'll back you up whatever you decide."

"Pleeeaaase!" begged the others. Spitfire gave it a long thought, and then…

"NO!" she answered firmly, causing the others to do an anime-style pratfall.

"Argh! Alright, Spit, you leave me no choice," growled Soarin as he slipped up next to her and whispered something to her. Fleetfoot leaned in to listen, and once Soarin was finished, the two were likely to faint from how much blood rushed to their cheeks.

"What?! Surely you can't be serious!" said Spitfire.

"I _am_ serious, Spitfire," smirked Soarin. "And don't call me Shirley."

"But it's a lie!" said Spitfire.

Soarin chuckled. "But aside from us, no one else knows that."

"That's extortion and you know that," said Spitfire, on the verge of tears.

"Yes! And I love it!" he replied, giving her the troll-face. "So, what do you say? Will she get to participate?" Spitfire was still about to cry, but she sucked it up and rubbed her left temple.

"Fine. You win, Soarin," she said. "Let the kid participate."

"YES!" cheered Rainbow.

The registrar growled but conceded. "Okay dwarf, you're number 119."

"What?" she asked indignantly. "Forget that old man, gimme number one."

"The numbers are given out in order of arrival, and since you showed up last, you get the last number, you dumb kid!" the registrar barked.

"Ahhh!" whined Rainbow. "I want number one!"

"What was it that Mr. Soarin told Ms. Spitfire just now?" asked Fluttershy.

"He said-" said Fleetfoot and she sweatdropped as she remembered. "It's better if you don't know, kid." Then the p.a. went off.

"Attention, all participants; the last competition of the tournament begins in ten minutes," said the announcer. "Please assemble at the starting line."

"Well Rainbow, your time has come," said Soarin. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," she said excitedly. "Just watch me, Soarin. I promise I'll win."

Soarin chuckled. "I know," he said and hugged her. "Just have fun out there, my little Pegasus." Then he leaned in and whispered to her. "And remember the paths we used when I taught you the basics. It might help you out."

"O… Ok." Rainbow stuttered in understanding.

"Why are you doing this, Soarin?" asked Spitfire. "Why do you care so much about that girl?"

"Yeah, Soarin," said Fleetfoot. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I like the kid, but admit it. She can't possibly win."

"I'll just tell ya this," he said mysteriously. "You shouldn't take your eyes off her during the race. You're in for a surprise."

"Good luck, Rainbow," said Fluttershy. "And please be careful."

"I will," she smiled, giving her friend a thumbs-up. "See ya later!" Then she ran to the starting line as Soarin walked over to Fluttershy.

"She said your name was Fluttershy, right?" he remembered. "You wanna come with us to watch the race? We got box seats." Then he gave a proud chuckle.

"Y…Yes," she stuttered taking his hand. "I'd love to."

"Great!" said Soarin, lifting her bag onto his shoulder. "Here, lemme carry this for ya."

"Th… Thank you," she blushed as they walked along.

"Hey Spit, this is the first time I've seen Soarin so deeply invested into getting someone into the academy," said Fleetfoot. "What gives?"

"If he'd really want that kid in the academy, he'd have advised her to take part in the children's category…" said Spitfire thoughtfully. "No, there's something else he wants to get out of this Rainbow kid."

A few minutes later, everyone was lined up at the starting line and Rainbow's eyes were shoujo stars in happiness.

"This is so exciting!" she squealed. "Now let's get this started!"

"Hmmm…" said a man next to her. "Well, I knew this contest was declining in caliber over time, but letting a little girl take part? Surely this is a new low, even for these guys."

"And who exactly are you?" asked Rainbow, looking at the man to see his sleeked back aquamarine hair and gold eyes.

"Tell me girl, who let you enter this contest?" he asked.

Rainbow gave a proud chuckle. "No other than the formidable Soarin," she responded.

"Ha! Soarin entered you?" the man asked incredulously.

"I don't care if you believe me or not, you stupid boy," scoffed Rainbow.

"Think about it, girl," The man rolled his eyes. "Only someone as careless and stupid as Soarin would let a six-year-old girl enter an adult competition," Rainbow growled angrily again.

"AAAH! Why does everyone think I'm 6?!" she growled. "Also, you jackass, I won't let you call my Soarin stupid, you hear me?"

"Whatever you say, kid, I don't really care," shrugged the man. "But you're out of luck. I'm gonna win this tournament."

"No chance! I'm the one who's gonna be the next Elite!" said Rainbow confidently.

"You think I'm trying to join the academy to become an Elite?" asked the man.

"Aren't you?" she inquired. "But why else would you want to participate?" she asked.

"I'm only taking part for a chance to enter the Academy and then be able to take on Soarin, the only sportsman that has never been defeated," he deadpanned. "Since he's now known worldwide as the Achilles of the new era, and if I win, I'll become known by that name instead, and become a legend myself…" Then he saw that Rainbow had fallen asleep on the track. "Will you listen to me, girl!"

Rainbow quickly jumped to her feet and stretched. "Huh…" she groaned. "Ah, yes, as it may, the most important part is that _I'll_ win."

"Ha…" the man thought. "I don't have to worry about a little girl, there's no one I can't beat in this tournament." Up in the box, Fluttershy and the Wonderbolts were watching, waiting for the race to start.

"See Fluttershy? I told you this place is great to watch Rainbow," smirked Soarin and he chuckled.

"Mister… Mister Soarin…" Fluttershy whispered to him. He opened one eye and looked at her weird.

"Hey beauty, don't call me Mister," he said. "I'm only 16. Just call me Soarin."

"Sorry, S… Soarin," she stuttered. "You really aren't bothered by me being here?"

"What are you asking, cutie?" he laughed. "I'm glad you're joining us. Besides, any friend of Rainbow's is a friend of mine."

"That's very nice of you, Soarin, giving your seat to Fluttershy…" said an obviously ticked Fleetfoot. "But why did you take _my_ seat?!"

"Don't be like that, Fleet. You're so ugly when you're angry," smirked Trollface- I mean, Soarin. "Besides, you're younger than me, and the young people always give their seat to the elder."

"You just said you've only got one year up on me!" she growled, trying to pull him off her chair. "Now gimme my seat back, you jerk!"

"Hey kid," said Spitfire seriously. "If Rainbow's really your friend, you should've told her not to take part in this race."

"I know, but in these past three months, she's made me the luckiest person by having her as my friend," she remembered. "And if this race id the most important thing for her, I'll support her no matter what."

"Little one, being a friend doesn't only mean supporting them," she said. "A good friend is loyal enough to advise you against doing something dumb."

"You're right, but she's not only doing it for herself," said Fluttershy, looking at Soarin as Fleetfoot was still trying to pull him off her seat. "It's also her way of saying thank you to a person in her life that became very special to her."

"I know what you mean, kid," thought Spitfire, as she looked at the two idiots she was forced to call her teammates. "I sometimes forget that I started for someone too…"

"Attention everybody," said the announcer. "To start the last competition of the day, I present to you the Mayor of Ponyville." Then a wise old woman with gray hair and blue eyes walked up to the starting block with a mic in her hand.

"First of all, let me extend a big welcome to all the competitors that are going to risk everything today to bring us a show of effort, concentration and fair play. Good luck to all of you!" she said before she pulled out a starting pistol… "And now let's start the countdown!"

Then she cocked the pistol and raised it before she started counting. "10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…"


	19. Chapter 5 part 4

**Chapter 5 part 4**

"Begin!" Then the mayor pulled the trigger. A loud bang rang out from the gun and the competitors started running.

"Time to win this!" said Rainbow confidently, but then someone pushed her and she fell on the ground just past the starting line.

"Foolish girl," said the guy from earlier. "That's what happens when you enter a race for adults."

"And the competition has started!" said the announcer. "And just as expected, there are some competitors that have already been knocked out upon exiting the gate."

"Rainbow!" called Fluttershy in concern. "What happened to her?"

"Hmm… Odds are good one of her rivals pushed her," said Fleetfoot.

"What!? Is that even allowed?" asked Fluttershy.

"Of course not," said Fleetfoot. "These races have only two rules: Rule 1; Don't use any transportation. Rule 2; Don't attack your opponents."

"But then why was she attacked?" asked Fluttershy.

"We have over fifty wireless mobile cameras installed along the track, and the mayor gave us access to the city security system, not to mention the fleet of drones we have in any blind spots, so everyone can see the course and any paths the racers might take at any time. But it's also to stop cheaters when we see them," explained Spitfire. "But despite all that, the problem of the starting line chaos remains unsolved. The more experienced competitors know that the best place to start the race is on the sides, and the beginners are always sandwiched in the middle of the throng. Unfortunately for your friend, apart from being a beginner, she's also a lot smaller than most competitors. Ergo, she's the most likely to get hit." Then she looked at Soarin. "I warned you, man. This race isn't for a girl her age."

"Take a chill pill, Spit," said Soarin, watching the track. "Just watch and learn." They all looked and saw Rainbow quickly get back to her feet and get back to running.

"No way! No way I'm losing this race that easy!" she thought anxiously.

"This time, she won't be as easily pushed around by the other competitors," said Soarin, knowing her plan.

"Let's see who this hard-working competitor is," said the announcer, pulling up Rainbow's profile on the big screen. "Number 119, her name is Rainbow Dash. Age… 10 years?"

"She's only ten?" asked someone in the audience.

"She's ten years old," thought a little girl in the audience. She had purple hair and eyes and was wearing a green shirt. "That's only four years older than me…"

"This is a joke!" yelled another audience goer. "Take her out of the race!" Then more people joined him and booed Rainbow.

"Happy yet, Soarin?" asked Spitfire coldly. "Now they're booing her out. The people in this city always take this competition seriously after all, remember?"

"Poor Rainbow," said Fleetfoot. "This must really discourage her…"

"I don't think a couple of boos are even gonna shake her," said Soarin proudly. "She's been criticized and mocked her whole life, mainly due to her size. Once they see her performance here, I bet ya ten bucks they'll all shut up forever."

"I'll take that action," said Fleetfoot, shaking his hand.

"Now I understand why you admire Mister Soarin so much, Rainbow," thought Fluttershy. "He truly has faith in you."

"Oh wait, we've just gotten word who allowed this girl to enter," said the announcer. "It seems to have all been Soarin's idea. Why am I not surprised? We all know how impulsive he is, but what's really amazing is that Spitfire and Fleetfoot went along with it. I've got a feeling that after all this, some heads are gonna roll for letting this happen." Spitfire and Fleetfoot looked at Soarin with a look that would've terrified Darth Vader. He just sat there and gave a nervous chuckle.

"That commentator is so funny," he said weakly. Then Spitfire pulled him close to her burning face.

"Listen well, Soarin," she growled. "If I get kicked out of the academy for this, I promise you my head won't be the only one rolling…"

Then Fleetfoot did the same thing to him. "And I promise you that if I get kicked out, your head isn't the only thing you'll be missing, you hear me?" she growled.

"Mo… Mommy, help…" Soarin squeaked in fear.

 **Deadpool: Jesus. Now might be a good time for Soarin to have my healing factor.**

 **Sonic Prime: Agreed. But do I even wanna know what Fleetfoot was referring to?**

 **Deadpool: How about no?**

 **Sonic Prime: Sounds good.**

Rainbow was still running, but she was starting to lose breath. "Man… these guys are fast," she thought. "Soarin told me not to rely solely on my speed to win this race. It lasts all afternoon, but if I don't, I'll never catch up to them…" Then she looked in one specific direction. "Hmm? If I recall correctly, that path leads to an old sewer tunnel…" she said, then she remembered. "Oh yeah, of course." she thought and turned.

Soarin gave a broad smile and an internal chuckle. "She finally got it…"

 **(Back to present)**

"Thus began the competition, and as Soarin said, the race was pretty extensive, since while the starting line was on the coast, the finish line was in an elevated area on the outskirts," Rainbow remembered. "The challenge was displayed very soon as the more novice competitors ended up defeated by suffering from extreme exhaustion and minor injuries. Matter of fact, within the first hour, out of the 119 competitors who entered, only 56 remained. And of those 56, one was highlighting over the rest."

 **(Back to Flashback)**

"Idiot!" yelled one racer, pushing against the one who was messing with Rainbow at the starting line. "Let me pass or you'll be sorry!"

"If you believe you can throw me to the ground as easily as you did that kid, you couldn't be more wrong." said the man as he knocked him to the ground and pulled a sick aerial flip over a gap before landing perfectly, climbing a wall and continuing.

"This is amazing! Number 28 is displaying quite unique qualities in this race." said the announcer.

"Woo! That guy's amazing," blushed Fleetfoot as she watched him. "I think we have a winner. Let's check him out now."

"His name is Thunderlane," said Spitfire, off-hand. "He's 17 years old from South Africa, has participated and won five official tournaments worldwide."

"How do you know all that?" asked Fleetfoot suspiciously.

"I've been following up on him due to his capacities;" she said. "But it looks like you, Soarin, want to steal the title from the best extreme sportsman."

Soarin laughed. "You know I don't mind, but it's a pity he had to just enter the tournament Rainbow is competing in."

"Hey, you really believe Rainbow will win?" asked Fleetfoot confused. "Speaking of which, I haven't seen her for like an hour. Did she withdraw?"

"No, she'd never give this up," said Fluttershy defensively. "But she's right. Where is she?"

Soarin gave a broad smile and a proud chuckle. "It's so nice of you to ask because I believe she'll be showing up any minute now," he said.

"What are you talking about?" asked Spitfire. Then Rainbow jumped out of an old pipe on the side of a large concrete block.

"Oh, but what's this? The girl Soarin entered has just jumped from an old sewer pipe!" shouted the astonished announcer.

"What?!" asked Spitfire astonished. "But how? That pipe is way too narrow for an athlete."

"Not one Rainbow's size." said Soarin matter-of-factly.

"I hope that's just dirt stuck to her face," said Fleetfoot in a sort of disgust.

"Good thing Soarin showed me that passage when we first met," said Rainbow. "Helped me cut out a lot of distance."

"You showed her that pipe?" asked Fleetfoot.

"If the others find out about this, you could get expelled." said Spitfire.

"Don't be so melodramatic," said Soarin. "It was just a little advice, but from now on, she'll have to depend on her strength and skills."

"What makes you want to get that kid into the academy so much anyway?" asked Spitfire.

"Calm down, guys," said Soarin. "Let the race continue, and you'll see why my dear friend."

"Time to show 'em what you really got, Rainbow," he thought proudly.

"Oh! That kid is on par with everyone and she's only ten," thought the kid from earlier. "That's amazing."

 **(Back to present)**

"In that race, I had to use everything Soarin ever taught me, and little by little, people started being astonished that a ten-year-old girl could keep going in the contest while most of the others, older than me, had to surrender in the end," remembered Rainbow. "Finally, we arrived at the last stage of the competition. And it was basically one-on-one."

 **(Back to Flashback)**

It was early evening, and Rainbow and Thunderlane were the only ones still running, with the people extremely admiring Rainbow now.

"I gotta admit, Soarin," said Fleetfoot. "The kid's got amazing resilience."

"Don't be impressed yet, Fleet," said Soarin. "Let's just see who wins this."

"Hey, the race is almost over, and Thunderlane's still up front," said Fleetfoot. "And Rainbow's gotta close a seven-man gap. I doubt she can do that."

"Miss Fleetfoot is right," thought Fluttershy. "Rainbow's so far behind and the race is almost over. But why is Mister Soarin so confident?"

"That's what you think, sweetheart," said Soarin. "Remember that the others have used the roofs, and are more tired, due to the strain it put on their legs."

"Now I understand!" said Fluttershy. "That's why you told Rainbow not to use the rooftops, right Mister Soarin? Not just to protect her, but because she'd have more strength in her legs." Soarin just gave a proud chuckle.

"Soarin, even though this competition is free-path, remember that the last few meters are a huge climb toward the goal, and there's only one way to do it; along the roofs," said Spitfire. "She doesn't have any shortcuts to get there."

"You forget, my dear," said Soarin. "There is one other path up there. It's risky, but I bet Rainbow can make it." Then all of a sudden, Rainbow stopped in front of a large wall.

"What? Are you giving up now?" thought Thunderlane.

"Another path?" asked Spitfire before it hit her. "No! It can't be! You think she can pull off the Ninja Jump?"

"What?! No way! That's impossible, even for someone as skilled as her!" said Fleetfoot.

"Ninja Jump?" asked Fluttershy.

"Yes Fluttershy," said Soarin. "To reach the goal, there is another path, but it can only be taken by performing the Ninja Jump." Three months ago, Soarin and Rainbow were out in front of the Ninja Jump wall, a huge structure covered in polished tile with a large gap in the middle.

"What's the Ninja Jump?" asked Rainbow.

"It's the special name for when we do a repetition of jumps in order to be able to ascend this wall, and thus, be faster to reach the tournament's finish line up there." explained Soarin.

"But that's impossible," said Rainbow, looking at the wall. "Has anyone else ever tried to do this?"

"Yeah, Spitfire, Fleetfoot and I have all succeeded in doing it, though it was never official," he replied.

"Yeah, I understand why," said Rainbow. "No one would risk their victory in trying to make that jump."

Soarin chuckled. "Rainbow, winning isn't what's important," he said.

"But Soarin, all my life I've been taught that winning is the only thing that counts," she said confused.

"Well, whoever told you that was wrong," said Soarin. "Winning only gets you a trophy. Give it a couple of months and everyone will forget it. The important thing is to leave something people will remember forever in their hearts _and_ minds." The memory faded as it returned to the present, but Rainbow still remembered the following words. "Do something that shakes not only those watching, but even the pillars of Heaven themselves, and make all who see it hope for the impossible. That's what being a Wonderbolt is, not winning trophies and being number one, but to give the audience a show…"

"And be an example to follow…" completed Rainbow.

"Enough with the mysteries, Soarin," said Spitfire, obviously having had enough of his behavior. "Tell me what you told this kid! Tell me why you talked her into participating in a competition for people five years older than her!"

"Because only she can achieve what all three of us lost a long time ago," said Soarin.

"What… we lost?" asked Spitfire.

"I mean to lead by example," said Soarin. "Make them believe dreams can be achieved. You remember last year when we met those fans in the hospital? Particularly that little girl, Scootaloo… When she told us that she admired us, and if she didn't have her problems, she'd wanna be the best runner in the world."

"Yeah, and you told her not to give up hope," remembered Spitfire. "You told her you had an accident when you were a kid too, but you went on ahead anyway. She said we were different, that she saw us as superheroes with special abilities, and that she could never be like us."

"Exactly," said Soarin. "It was at that moment that I realized that we weren't just an example for the people to follow, but somebody they idolized. When we founded the Elite, we did it to give an example of how to overcome adversities. But little by little, we just started to lose it, only to become heroes to others."

"But I had this weird dream the other night," he continued. "A young woman who didn't belong to the Academy with multicolored hair, that would do things unequaled by any, and that I'd find her on one of my trips. Heh, had I known that woman would be a ten-year-old named Rainbow, I'd have never believed it. But when I saw the things she did when I met her three months ago, I knew she was that woman. She would return the faith and dreams to these people who lost them, those who were disabled or had some sort of problem. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'd love to see Rainbow enter the Academy, for that would show the best athlete in history entered the Wonderbolts. But I kinda also want to do this sort of thing, so the faith would return to the hearts of the people.

"I can't believe my eyes," said the announcer. "Will Rainbow Dash try to make the impossible jump?"

"Everyone stopped, even Thunderlane," said Fluttershy, looking at the drone feed.

"Even though some of them are cheaters, or desperate for victory, in the end, they're all sportsmen at heart," said Fleetfoot. "And seeing someone who has the same ideals as them, even if she's just a kid they know she deserves the attention of them all for trying to accomplish this huge feat." Rainbow had limbered up and was ready to make the jump, so she charged the wall.

"She's never gonna be able to make that jump," said Spitfire. "It's too high! Her legs won't hold up!"

"Wrong," said Spitfire. "Her body is slim, and she hasn't worked up her legs as much since she was on the ground for most of the race. She'll make it." And for a time, it looked like he was right as she made six repetitive jumps, making it almost all the way up to the top, but she started losing strength.

"Already…" she thought, audibly straining. "I can't… Anymore…" Then she growled, as a fire of power ignited inside her.

"No! Soarin believes in me! I can't fail!" she growled. "Not when I'm so close!" Then she flipped and landed on the other wall, feet-first, giving her the thrust to launch herself up at the other wall, barely making it by the skin of her fingertips, cutting her pinkie on one of the tiles. She tried to get her grip better, but she lost it in her left hand.

"Come on, kid!" yelled Spitfire. "Don't loosen up yet! You got this!"

Soarin chuckled. "Now look who's supporting her," he said.

"I can do this…" strained Rainbow. But then something stopped her. Three pink butterflies fluttering around her hand. They were the same butterflies from that day at the bridge. Soarin stood up in shock and knew what was going on.

"What's happening? She shouldn't be too heavy for her arms. Why won't she pull up?" asked Fleetfoot. But she couldn't. Not when she was so conflicted. She remembered Fluttershy's words when they first met, and how Soarin told her he'd love to have he on the team.

"What's going on?" asked Spitfire. "If she doesn't hurry, Thunderlane will take the chance and win."

"She won't do it…" said Soarin in understanding.

"What? Why not?" asked Fleetfoot.

"Because she finally found what she was looking for…" said Soarin. Rainbow remembered everything; her training and hanging out with both Soarin and Fluttershy. But then, she remembered their words.

"About that," Fluttershy had said. "If you win the tournament today, does that mean this will be the last day we'll spend together?"

"By entering the tournament, you might end up discovering what you've always been looking for," Soarin had said.

"And what am I looking for?" she had said. Soarin had chuckled and rubbed her head.

"You'll know when the time comes…" he said and the memories faded.

"A faithful friend," said Soarin, looking at Fluttershy. "That's what she needs the most and what makes her happy… And she found it…"

"I'm sorry, Soarin," Rainbow wept on the ledge. "But I can't leave her alone… Not yet…" Then she just let go. Everyone was shocked at this final act. Except for Soarin; he just let out a single proud tear as she fell into the airbag.

"Oh nooo! She fell!" said the announcer. "At the last moment, she couldn't hold on! And the winner is Thunderlane!" The winner looked down the ledge at the girl and gave a strong look.

"I admit it, kid," he thought. "In this race, you've let me win. I don't know why you stopped and fell, but I hope you'll win next time because I'll be waiting at the academy." Then he saluted her before he continued on to the winner's circle.

Later on, the sun was almost about to set and Rainbow was on the ground crying.

"Why… Why didn't I do it?" she thought. "I was so close…"

"Hey Rainbow!" she heard Soarin call behind her. "Great race, pal!" Then he saw her crying.

"So… Soarin…" she sniffed. "Sorry… I failed…"

"What are you talking about, Rainbow?" asked Soarin, wiping the tears off her face. "The exact opposite is true. You've made me very proud."

"But I promised you I would win," she said.

"You must've forgotten what I told you before," he said. "Winning isn't everything. For example, your decision, not wanting to leave Fluttershy alone, and forsaking fame and popularity for a friend, you couldn't have chosen anything better. Show me one person more loyal than you, and I still won't believe you made the wrong call."

"It's true, Rainbow," said Spitfire. "I admit I didn't know why Soarin supported you so much, but now I understand, you're something really special."

"And you're gonna need someone just as special by your side," said Fleetfoot as Fluttershy walked forward.

"Flu… Fluttershy… I…" Rainbow simpered.

"You're hurt," said Fluttershy, taking her hand. "Let me help you." Soon her finger was bandaged and Fluttershy was holding her hand out to her. "Come on, stand up. We better get back to training. Next time you compete, you'll win."

"Fluttershy…" she said amazed before Soarin put his arms around their necks.

"See Rainbow, you chose the perfect option," he said. "You two are in perfect harmony. You're the value and loyalty Fluttershy needs, and she was the serenity and humility that was missing in your life. So just promise me one thing: Even if life throws the most absurd of obstacles in your way, and even when if there are problems between you, never forget what you are. Because you're more than friends. You're sisters. Please promise me that you'll never lose the trust between you."

"Yes Soarin! I promise you!" they both said and the Wonderbolts couldn't help laughing.

 **(Back to present)**

"Now… Now I remember…" said Rainbow.

"I promised to never lose the trust between us…" said Fluttershy. "And that's what I'll do, Rainbow…"

"But how can I trust you again, Fluttershy? After everything that's happened," said Rainbow/

"Because we're family, Rainbow," said Fluttershy. "And you must have faith in me when I tell you that Twilight and the others are true friends. But now I understand that I can't force you… It's time for you to make a choice. But you should know that if being with Luna is what you really want, just know…" Then she transformed and prepared to take off. "I'll always be your friend. Now I have to go help the others. Be careful, my dear Rainbow…" Then she flew off to help the others.

"Fluttershy…" said Rainbow as she watched her friend disappear over the horizon. She had finally remembered the promise she made those three long years ago to the most important person in her life. But she understood she had to choose. Not for the others, but for herself.

 **To Be Continued…**


	20. Chapter 6 part 1

**Chapter 6 part 1**

Things for the Bearers were not going at all well, but Pinkie was having great fun, messing with Descent.

"My dear Descent, why don't we end this dance for good?" Pinkie suggested.

"For once we agree," said Descent, charging a dark magic blast in his hand. "Now to finish you."

"Hey, you sure you wanna hurt me?" Pinkie asked.

Descent laughed. "You know very well I've tried hurting you this whole time," he said.

"Cmon, man," she shrugged. "You use spears to try and trap me, attack me with water when you know I can manipulate water and finally, you attack the field with bursts of heat." Then she gave a contented sigh as she patted her stomach. "Which, by the way, I appreciate. I ate way too much cake for breakfast this morning and that workout really helped me burn those calories."

"So you're saying I haven't been fighting seriously?" asked Descent confused.

"No, I'm trying to tell you that deep down you don't want to hurt me," pontificated Pinkie. "I don't know why you're on Luna's side. Maybe it's because your sister wants to help her, but it's bad that you don't listen to your heart."

"I believe you're wrong, Pinkie," said Descent as he flew down to her level. "I'm not a friendly person."

"Descent, I'm only happy when I'm with good people, and I know that in your inner self, you're a good person," said Pinkie before she blushed and put her head on his shoulder. "And that's why I like you." Then she gave a weird chuckled and Descent sweatdropped. "Also, I never liked all that fighting. I prefer going to parties and having fun. Life is way too short to worry about all that nonsense." Then, a mass flew in out of nowhere before it slammed into a tree behind Pinkie.

"RARITY!" called Twilight. Pinkie looked and saw Rarity, knocked out of the fight, powered down with her clothes shredded and her hair knocked out of its curl. Then she saw Haze was holding her Gem in his hand.

"These are the powers of the Bearers of Harmony?" he asked. "Disappointing. They're only girls trying to play at war." Rarity's head tilted to one side and her hair out of her face and saw that she was badly beaten and blood was leaking from the corner of her mouth.

"Ra..rity…" she whispered terrified for her friend when out of nowhere, her hair-tie, which had kept her hair in a high ponytail, split in half and her hair fell to her shoulders.

"Now, surrender or suffer more pain than what defeated this weak woman," said Haze darkly.

"Haze…" said Descent amazed at his teammate's behavior. Then water started rising around them. Descent looked and saw Pinkie was manipulating it under Haze's body. Then Haze sensed something from her. Something… rather unusual.

"Hmm?" he thought. "Where does this essence I can feel surrounding me emanate from? Can it be…"

"Impalement!" yelled Pinkie in a dark voice. Then the water formed ice spikes. Haze quickly jumped out of the way before a huge ice-mass shot up and nearly stabbed through him. Then Pinkie blinked out of sight before appearing in the air, right in front of Haze, forming a boxing glove out of ice around her hand before punching him away.

"In… Incredible!" thought Descent. "What unbelievable speed!" Pinkie zipped around Haze some more before he caught her by the throat.

"You'll have to do better than that if you want to beat me, Pinkie," he said. Pinkie just chuckled as she dissolved into water in his hand. "What?! Dammit! A Water Clone!" Then the Water Clone formed into Pinkie's pony self, but its hair was straight, and one of its hoofs was wrapped around his arm.

"No! He's trapped!" yelled Nightingale in fear.

"Pinkie?" thought Twilight, amazed and confused.

"Hey! Chocolate man!" said Pinkie in a dark voice. "You've been a bad boy…" Then she showed her eyes and they looked… blank and dark.

"What happened to Pinkie?" thought Descent. "She looks and sounds different. Almost as if… She's a completely different person.

"Fascinating," said Descent, struggling against the Water Clone. "I admit that last attack with the Water Clone was very much unexpected. There aren't many people that manage to fascinate me as much as you…" Pinkie balanced on the water spike, but her clothes and hair were soaking wet and much darker. And her hair was straight, covering one blank eye. The same could be said for the pony-face on her headdress, and it was creepy as hell.

"You dared to hurt Rarity," she said sadistically. "So before I kill you, I believe I'll have some fun with your chocolate body."

"Pinkie, what… happened to you?" thought Twilight. "Why are you talking like this?"

"You're saying you'll kill me?" asked Haze, disbelievingly. "Ha! I'd like to see you try."

"Be patient, man," said this new side of Pinkie. "Before I eat some chocolate, I like to play with it a little. Let's see who you react when I _break_ that swollen arm of yours." Then the water violently turned, and everyone else could hear bones cracking as they saw his flesh twisting. He cringed a bit, but he kept it hidden under his hood.

"Oh! You hardly grimaced," said Pinkie sadistically. "Maybe I have to be a little rougher with you." Then the water surrounded his entire body.

"If I let this go any further, she'll end up killing Haze," thought Nightingale. "I have to help him…" But just as she moved, another Water Clone moved behind her with a large blade for an arm… angled right at her throat.

"Where do you think you're going, old witch," it asked sadistically. "I don't like to be disturbed whilst playing with my food. But when I'm finished with him… you're next…" Then it disappeared.

"What… What terrible abilities she has…" thought Nightingale in fear. "Luna was right. This girl… She's different from the others."

"Now it's time to crush your huge body…" said Pinkie, before closing her hand, causing the water surrounding Haze to push at his body. The others quite clearly mentally threw up as they heard bones crunch under the water before Haze finally coughed up blood. Pinkie's eyes glowed brightly as she gave a sadistic chuckle. "Oh, what fun this is!"

"ENOUGH, PINKIE!" yelled Twilight, making Pinkie and her headdress snap back to normal.

"Oh? W… What happened to me?" she asked disoriented.

"Now!" yelled Haze. "Replacement!" Then he teleported outside the water-lock and swapped himself out for a nearby tree before he flew at Pinkie.

"Water Shield!" she yelled quickly and summoned her pony self to block him, but he just flew through it and punched her in the stomach.

"You lose," he said simply. Then he threw Pinkie to the ground where she was forced to power down.

"PINKIEEE!" yelled Twilight in concern and fear.

"Hmm…" thought Haze. "That enigmatic girl. For a few moments, I felt a strange aura emanating from her, different than Celestia's light, or Luna's darkness… It felt like… the succubus type… But that's impossible…"

"Haze, are you okay?" asked Nightingale.

"Don't worry about me," said Haze as his arm repositioned itself. "I used Body Regeneration to repair the bones and organs she crushed."

"That means you lost half your power," realized Nightingale. "Will you be able to continue fighting?"

"Heh… Don't be ridiculous," smirked Haze. "To fight these girls, I don't even need half my power."

"By the way, why did you let yourself take damage if you could replace at any time?" asked Nightingale, confused by her teammate's behavior.

"My life is irrelevant," he said. "The only important thing is victory for Luna."

"What are you saying?" asked Nightingale, getting more confused by the minute.

"If she had killed me, the Jewel of Harmony would've left her immediately," Haze explained. "There's nothing more prohibited by harmony than taking the life of another being. But the Twilight I know would stop her from killing me and give me the opportunity to attack, but the important thing is that either way, Luna wins."

"Who the hell are you, Haze?" thought Nightingale. "Is it worth winning if you're going to die…"

"Although, I have to admit that for a few moments, I slightly worried," thought Haze. "Especially seeing how despite the evil Pinkie was showing, at no time I felt any weakness in her connection with her element. Hmm… What secrets does your past hold, Pinkie Pie?"

"Hey Haze, you shouldn't have been so hard on the kid," said Descent flying over to him.

"And what happened to you?" asked Haze seriously. "You really believed all she said? Pinkie is characterized by only wanting to have fun and her yearning to joke is so great, that lying doesn't matter anymore. What do you think would've happened later? Throwing you a party to get to know you better? Stupid boy…" Descent just growled, but Nightingale noticed something wrong with him.

"Hey Descent, what's up with you?" she asked. Descent ran his fingers through his hair.

"S…Sorry sis," he said. "It's just that… For a moment, I started wondering if what we're trying is actually the right thing to do."

"Listen up, brother," said Nightingale assertively. "Don't forget why we do this. Remember the accident we had last month. You went blind and I was paralyzed waist-down. When no one wanted to help us, she was the one who gave us back what we had lost! That's why we vowed to do whatever's necessary in order to thank her, no matter if her desires were good or bad. Never forget that, Descent."

"Yes… You're right, I'm sorry…" he said.

"Okay, now let's end this once and for all," said Nightingale. Meanwhile, Rainbow was holding her necklace close to her, trying to think.

"Soarin, what should I do?" she asked. She remembered three years ago after the competition when she and Soarin were talking on top of the Ninja Jump wall.

"What's up with you, Rainbow?" he noticed. "You seem lost in your thoughts."

"I'm still thinking about what you said," she replied. "That you were happy that I made the right decision. So you never wanted me to win?"

"Not exactly," said Soarin. "If you had opted to win instead, I still think you would've made the right decision."

"I don't get it," said Rainbow, confused. "How can you be happy whether I win or not?"

"Rainbow, I think there's a saying for this. Of all the paths in your life, the ones you choose will always be the right ones, if that makes sense," he said. "What's important is that you choose them, and not somebody else. At the end, it's your journey. So don't be afraid to choose, only remember to choose the way out that makes you happy with your heart. Promise me, my little Pegasus." Then the memory faded back to the present.

"Choose with the heart…" remembered Rainbow. "Choose what makes me happy… Fluttershy… Being with her… makes me happy." Then she realized it. She facepalmed before she ran back to the others. "I'm such an idiot! I should never have doubted Fluttershy…"

"Wait for me, friend," she thought before correcting herself. "Wait for me, _friends_ … I'll be there soon…" Back on the battlefield, Twilight was cornered.

"Well, well, Twilight," said Nightingale cruelly. "Now the odds have shifted in our favor. Tell me, how would you like to be defeated?" Then she gave a cruel laugh as Twilight looked around at her disabled friends.

"Pinkie… Rarity…" she thought in fear. "I'm sorry, I failed you…"


	21. Chapter 6 part 2

**Chapter 6 part 2**

Then just before the Shadowbolts could attack…

"Tornado!" yelled Fluttershy and flapped her wings so hard, the Shadowbolts were blown away by the wind.

"Fluttershy!" yelled Twilight in relief.

"Ah… The Heir of Gaia has finally arrived," said Haze.

"You!" thought Twilight angrily. "You'll pay for hurting Pinkie and Rarity…" Then she moved her hands to one side of her and a blue ball of magic formed between them.

"Stella… MAGNAAA!" she yelled, blasting it at Haze, causing a huge cloud of dust. But as it passed, Twilight saw a green glow coming from him.

"W… What! That's impossible!" she said in shock. Haze had survived. His reflexes were so good, he had put up a shield just before the blast hit him.

"Poor novice sorceress," he said. "You thought your power is sufficient to beat me. You still have many secrets to learn about magic. This situation makes me wonder, however: If you can't beat me, what will happen when the day comes that you have to deal with my master? Since her power is greater than even my own."

"What?! Is… Is Luna really that powerful?" asked Twilight. Haze put his hand on her cheek and chuckled as he moved closer to her.

"Puny sorceress…" he whispered. "Did I ever actually say _Luna_ was my master?" Twilight could feel her heart skip three beats in rapid succession as her sweat instantly chilled on her brow.

"STAY AWAY FROM HER!" yelled Fluttershy as she summoned roots under him, but he jumped away before they could grab him.

"Fluttershy, thanks for your help!" said Twilight, as she treated a minor headache caused by her heart.

"No problem," said Fluttershy. "What'd I miss?"

"That big guy hurt Pinkie and Rarity and now unless we take him down, we're dead," explained Twilight. "I just hope you were successful with Rainbow."

"You and me both," said Fluttershy.

"Well, look who's come crawling back," said Nightingale cruelly. "Rainbow's weeping friend."

"How dare you hurt my friends…" growled Fluttershy. "You're just cruel!"

"Why thank you," laughed Nightingale. "What a sweet compliment…" Descent just gulped and sweated, and Twilight noticed.

"Hmm? That guy, it seems like he…" she thought before she saw Haze move away from the others.

"Haze! Where do you think you're going?" asked Nightingale.

"This confrontation serves no purpose for me," said Haze. "I have no interest in fighting girls of their level."

"But Haze…" said Nightingale.

"In addition, I think you two are more than enough to bring this battle to an end," continued Haze. "Although she doesn't want to show it, Fluttershy is filled with fear, and don't forget that she obtained her Element only yesterday, thus being much more inexperienced in a confrontation." Then he sat down near a tree and his wings disappeared.

"He's right," thought Twilight terrified. "Fluttershy is the most vulnerable out of all of us. We haven't had enough time to train her in her magic."

"As for Twilight, she's been fighting since before this battle began, and don't forget that she dared use the Stella Magna technique twice, an attack that requires most of the user's Magic Energy, meaning she's close to exhaustion," said Haze. "Quite honestly, I'm amazed she's still standing." At that, Twilight started losing her balance. "Ah. Yep, there we go."

"Twilight!" said Fluttershy, scared for her as she grabbed her and righted her.

"Don't… worry…" panted Twilight. "I'm okay, Fluttershy."

"And finally, the two of you have not weakened," finished Haze. "Seeing that ever since this battle began, Princess Luna has been sending you energy from her cave to linger on."

"What?!" thought Twilight terrified. "If that's true, those two aren't even tired, despite how intense the battle was, and if so, the two of us are never going to be able to beat them."

"Hmm… I guess you're right," said Nightingale. "It's okay if you sit this one out, plus you were the one who took down the other two. I suppose it's only fair we get these two."

" _Fluttershy… Fluttershy_ …" Twilight said in Fluttershy's mind.

" _Is that you, Twilight_?" she asked mentally. " _Amazing! We can communicate telepathically_!"

" _It's a technique I learned the other day. I'll teach it to the others later. Now listen_ ," explained Twilight. " _We won't be able to beat those two ourselves. We need Pinkie and Rarity's help_."

" _But they've taken too much damage_ ," thought Fluttershy. " _I could try to get close and heal them, but those two won't let me get anywhere close to them_."

" _Which is why I'll distract them while you go in for the heal_ ," responded Twilight.

" _But Twilight, you're drained_ ," thought Fluttershy. " _Can you handle them_?"

" _Only one way to find out_ ," replied Twilight. " _Now that Haze won't intervene, I'll be able to outperform the other two. Plus, I can sense that Descent is doing this against his will, so he'll be holding back. Now on my signal, close your eyes. Ready_?"

" _Ready_." thought Fluttershy.

"It's my turn!" yelled Twilight and she jumped up at them.

Nightingale laughed. "So you'll be the first to fall, eh Twilight?" she asked. "As you wish!"

"Now!" yelled Twilight and Fluttershy screwed her eyes shut. "GLARE!" And a bright flash of light shone from Twilight's hands and blinded the Shadowbolts.

"AAAH! My eyes!" growled Nightingale as she covered her face and landed to recover. Then Twilight jumped and grabbed Descent out of the sky.

"Hmm… Quite ingenious." thought Haze from the sidelines. "This will allow her a chance to face Descent alone. But I doubt she didn't know that he's wearing tinted goggles, ergo the Glare won't affect him unless it wasn't her intention to fight him." Meanwhile, Fluttershy was healing Rarity first, since she was the most critically injured. Twilight was hopping between tree branches as Descent flew alongside her.

"Twilight, you're too weak to defeat me…" he said.

"I don't want to defeat you," said Twilight as they stopped on one tree. "I just want you to rethink this. I can see you're not a bad person. A bad person wouldn't be conflicted about all this."

"Nice try, but I see through you now," said Descent. "You're just trying to mess with me, just like Pinkie did."

"She didn't want to mess with you, and neither do I," said Twilight. "We just want to make you show your true feelings. Neither of us thinks you're a bad person."

"You don't understand," said Descent. "We owe Luna too much. I was blinded, Nightingale was paralyzed, and yet Luna helped us without asking, without knowing us, without even asking for something in return. She just healed us and left. We were the ones following her and offering her help." Then he replaced his goggles and growled.

"You… You can still return the favor…" panted Twilight. "And not do deeds that hurt your ethics and your heart. Please Descent, you have the last word. You can decide-"

"Shut up!" yelled Nightingale as she punched her off the tree branch and grabbed Descent by his collar. "What the hell do you think you're doing, Descent? Stop acting like a brat…" Finally, Fluttershy had healed the others, but they wouldn't wake up. She shook them and begged them, but they stayed asleep.

"Poor girl… Don't confuse curing the body with restoring consciousness," said Haze. "Their wounds that caused it have healed, but they'll still be out cold for a good few hours. And so, Twilight's plan to bring you all together into combat cannot succeed."

"Oh my God! How did he know that was our plan?!" thought Fluttershy. Then Twilight crashed into a tree nearby and Fluttershy quickly moved to heal her.

"Foolish girl," thought Haze. "The healing technique, Nature's Blessing, is one of the more complicated spells to cast. It requires a lot of Spiritual Energy to even be able to use it once. Although you're at a disadvantage, being able to receive energy from nature to heal the others, this process requires you merge your own energy with the surrounding ecosystem."

Soon Twilight was healed, but Fluttershy felt unusual. "And that, in turn, will make you feel very unstable physically." thought Haze.

"Dammit," thought Twilight. "I don't have any more ideas and we're already at our limits." Then Fluttershy flew up in front of Twilight.

"Stay… Stay behind me, Twilight," she panted. "I'll protect you. Cyclone!" Then the wind swirled around the two, forming a shield around them.

"What? Just that flimsy technique?" asked Descent. "She's not even trying to attack."

"As I surmised," thought Haze. "Since you're been wounded in your school life, Fluttershy, you haven't yet awakened the courage needed to deal with your energy."

"Fluttershy, please forgive me," said Twilight. "If I hadn't given you the Jewel of Harmony, you wouldn't be in this mess."

" _Nightingale… Nightingale…_ " said Haze telepathically. " _I've got a bad feeling about this. It'd be better that we end this battle now, or things may get complicated. Your brother is already hesitating. If you don't do something soon, you won't be able to control him anymore._ "

" _Hmm… You're right,_ " said Nightingale.

"Descent!" she yelled to her brother. "It's high time we put an end to this. We have to use the Infernal Tornado!"

"What?! Isn't that a little excessive?" asked Descent unsure.

"I said NOW, brother!" yelled Nightingale.

"O… Okay…" he said. Twilight could see that Fluttershy was weakening.

"Fluttershy, sit down, I'll shield us." said Twilight.

"Don't worry," said Fluttershy. "I… I won't allow them to hurt you." But she wasn't feeling great. "Wh… Why won't my head stop spinning…" she thought.

"INFERNAL TORNADO!" yelled the Shadowbolts and a large black tornado formed between them as they threw it at the girls.

"Fluttershy!" yelled Twilight as the tornado encroached on them. But then, Fluttershy dropped to her knees and powered down.

"I… I'm sorry, Twi… light… I'm useless…" she said quietly before she fainted and the two were sucked into the tornado.

"This battle is finished," thought Haze. "Fluttershy's body has succumbed to the cost of curing three people constantly."

Just then, Rainbow stopped short, having seen the tornado approach the cliff. "What the hell is going on here?" She asked herself just as it disappeared, and Twilight and Fluttershy, both powered down, went sailing off the cliff. Rainbow quickly ran to help them and jumped off, landing on a tree branch sticking out of the rock, hanging on to them both.

"Rainbow! What are you doing here?" asked Nightingale.

"Please help me," strained Rainbow. "I'm not gonna be able to hold them much longer."

"How can you even think of helping them?" asked Nightingale. "Fluttershy has only caused you pain. You're worth a thousand times more than the lives of these girls, maybe more."

"I'm begging you, please help me!" yelled Rainbow.

"Drop them and I will," said Nightingale.

"NEVER!" shouted Rainbow in anger. "Fluttershy has always been my best friend… I'd never dare to leave her."

"Hmm… Okay, Rainbow, I can understand your friendship with Fluttershy," said Nightingale as Descent landed next to her. "I'll tell you what we'll do. Since Fluttershy was a Pegasus as well, we'll save her and even convince Luna to let her join us."

"Yes, anything you say, but please help me save her," strained Rainbow. "I can't hold on much longer."

"In return, I only ask for one thing," said Nightingale. "Let Twilight fall."

"W… What?" asked Rainbow.

"Sis…" thought Descent in concern.

"She's not your friend and her friends made you quarrel with Fluttershy," said Nightingale. "Twilight doesn't deserve your help. She's to blame for everything! Just let her fall!"

"NO!" yelled Rainbow. "It's not true. It was all my fault; they only wanted to be friends with Fluttershy and myself, but my jealousy blinded me. I… I… I'll never abandon my friends!"

Nightingale was silent for a moment as she flew up above the branch. "As you wish… Bearer of Harmony," she said as her eyes flared with dark magic and she charged a blast in her hand. "THEN YOU CAN JOIN THEM IN HELL!" Then she blasted the branch off and sent them falling. Rainbow pulled Twilight and Fluttershy close to her and strained, waiting for the impact.

"No matter what happens… Never leave them…" she thought. "Right Soarin? Because for me, loyalty to my friends is the most important thing."

And with those words full of feeling, the power of the Jewel of Loyalty, the red lightning bolt, was released, awakening the fifth Bearer. The gem sailed to Rainbow's forehead and on her flank appeared the picture of a thundercloud with a red, yellow and blue lightning bolt shooting from it.

Then the gem appeared with the face of a cyan pony with determined violet eyes and rainbow-colored hair before spreading a pair of small metal wings and forming a high-tech white battle-crown. On the right side were lights colored green, blue and purple. On the other side were lights colored yellow, orange and red.

Then blue bracers appeared on her wrists with white spikes, and a large white apparatus with a red orb in the middle appeared on her back and she flew back up to the cliff, placing the others on the ground and spreading a large pair of cyan feathered wings from the backpack.

"Rainbow!" yelled Descent in amazement.

"Damn it!" growled Nightingale.


	22. Chapter 6 part 3

**Chapter 6 part 3**

"Damnation!" said Nightingale. "How could you betray us like this, Rainbow?"

"Come on, Nightingale," said Rainbow. "We both know you betrayed me first. Now let's end this once and for all."

"You'll regret this," growled Nightingale as she took off after Rainbow, who was flying high above the clouds. "Descent! Come! Let's finish that girl off!"

"…She didn't let go of her friends, even while free-falling," said Descent amazed. "She didn't mind risking her life for them." Then he looked up at her. "No, Nightingale. I won't continue with this…"

"W… What are you saying?" asked his sister.

"You heard me," said Descent. "I'm done with doing such evil deeds."

"You're betraying me?! ME?! YOUR OWN SISTER?!" she asked angrily.

"I'm sorry, Nightingale," said Descent. "But my decision is final."

"What about the oath we gave Luna? Our way of thanking her for saving us?" asked his sister angrily.

"I've always been grateful, but I can't and won't deny my heart any longer," he said. "Right Pinkie?" he thought, looking at the girl.

"And quite honestly, sister," he continued. "Our mission was to lead Rainbow to her before she obtained her Element. But she decided to join her friends instead. We have nothing left to do here. Face it, sister. We've lost."

"NEVER! I never lose!" growled Nightingale as she flew after Rainbow. Descent called after her, but she was consumed with so much rage, she wouldn't listen.

"Let's just see why Rainbow was so valuable to Luna," thought Haze. Rainbow was just flying above the clouds, having the time of her life.

"This is incredible!" she laughed. "That freedom I feel up here. Why does it feel so familiar to me?" Then she remembered when Soarin had told her, then Descent and chuckled.

"I guess you were right, Soarin," she thought. "I turned out to be a Pegasus after all." Then Nightingale flew up.

"Rainbow! You will pay dearly for rejecting Luna," she growled.

"Join someone asking me to betray my friends?" asked Rainbow. "Over my dead body!"

"Do you still believe they're your friends?" asked Nightingale.

"Of course I do," said Rainbow. "Because they are."

"As you wish," said Nightingale before she was consumed with rage. "Then the next thing I'll do after I'm finished with you will be throwing your friends off the cliff!" And so began the greatest air battle in the history of the Multiverse. Fueled by hatred and rage, Nightingale attacked without mercy, even trying to use her dark magic to land an attack. But Rainbow, was incredible speed and reflexes, enhanced by her magic, dodged all her attacks.

"How is this possible?!" thought Nightingale. "You just got your wings, but you're so fast! Why can't I track your movements?" Rainbow chuckled.

"You'll never catch me!" she yelled down to her.

"Cocky bitch!" growled Nightingale. "I can keep this going until you tire out. You haven't even touched me."

"Dang! She's right," thought Rainbow. "Retreating won't get me anywhere. But what else am I supposed to do?"

"Rainbow…" she heard a voice say. "Rainbow…"

"What the?!" she asked, looking over her shoulder. "Who… Who are you?"

"My name is Celeste," said the voice again. "In my past life, I was an alicorn princess, but now I'm Twilight's older sister."

"Her older sister?" asked Rainbow looking around. "But where are you?" Turned out Celeste was in Egypt near the top of the pyramids.

"Don't bother trying to look for me," she said. "I am telepathically communicating with you from the other side of the world."

"So then why are you so far away?" asked Rainbow.

"Long story," said Celeste. "I created a magic barrier against Luna to prevent her from entering Ponyville and attacking you girls, but to make it resistant to any counterspells, I had to force myself to make some sort of covenant, so I can't enter the town. Unfortunately, this woman you're facing will not get tired, because Luna is feeding her with her power."

"So then why don't you just do that for us?" asked Rainbow.

"There's a pretty big difference between you and Nightingale," said Celeste. "Her powers and wings were granted by Luna, but the powers you and the others have were granted by the Elements of Harmony, not me. However, what I can do is give you information about your powers and telepathically teach you some of the techniques you can use at your current level. Luckily, you possess an innate ability, called Accelerated Development, enabling you to rapidly learn movements you see or are taught. That's why I only have to implant the techniques into your memory."

"Like saving information on a computer?" asked Rainbow.

"Exactly," said Celeste. "Now hold still and pay attention." Then she held still and started mulling over some things, confusing Nightingale.

"What is she planning?" she asked herself. "I can't understand what she's muttering." After a few moments, Celeste had implanted the techniques and met with a wise African woman with white tattoos and black and white hair like a zebra.

"Did you manage to make contact?" she asked with an accent.

"Of course!" said Celeste. "Now it all depends on Rainbow. I'm sure she will succeed." And she was right to be so sure as Rainbow was flying away from Nightingale again.

"Thanks, Celeste," she said. "That may be enough to overcome her…" Then she stopped and hovered with her wings.

"Finally you're stopping," said Nightingale stopping below her. "I knew you'd tire out."

"You're close, Nightingale, but no cigar," said Rainbow. "It's my turn!" Then she gave a yell almost like she was charging up as electricity coursed around her body.

"What the hell is going on here?" thought Nightingale. Then Rainbow aimed her right hand at her and steadied it with her left as it crackled with energy.

"LIGHT MACHINE GUN!" she yelled and a barrage of energy pellets shot from her hand at Nightingale. She tried to block them, but wherever she put her hands to catch one, another hundred hit her somewhere else.

"Celeste was right!" said Rainbow amazed. "I can control electrical energy! This is awesome!"

"Damn her! How did she learn how to do that?" thought Nightingale as she charged from another direction. Then Rainbow put two fingers to her forehead and charged an electric shock.

"Thunderbolt!" she yelled and shot it at her, knocking her further above her.

"So this is Rainbow's power," thought Haze as he watched. "She can't possibly have created those techniques out of the blue. Surely this is the influence of the current Celestia. It also makes sense, since when she confronted Applejack earlier, this girl showed the ability to learn attack movements simply by observing them. Celestia probably watched over her and is taking advantage of this ability to teach her how to use her techniques."

"Give it up, Nightingale," said Rainbow. "The light will always drive back the darkness.

"Insolent whelp, don't forget the darkness covers all," said Nightingale as she charged a black blast in her hands above her head before throwing it. "Realm of Darkness!" Rainbow quickly held up her hands.

"Magnetosphere!" she yelled and a rainbow-colored vortex appeared in her hands and sucked up the attack before it disappeared.

"What?! W… What did you do?" asked Nightingale shocked.

"I focused part of the Earth's magnetic field into the palms of my hands to create a shield," said Rainbow proudly. "For someone with a special talent like mine, it's a really easy defense technique." Then she put her hands behind her head and laid down on a cloud. "Thanks to controlling the magnetic field, I can now levitate without even needing to move my wings." Then she gave a proud, snarky chuckle.

"Why is this girl so strong?" thought Nightingale, insanely confused. "Not even ten minutes have passed since she got her powers." Then it hit her. "Damnation! I forgot… When these girls get a new member for their team, all their levels increase! That means… her level is equal to mine now!"

"Seriously though Nightingale," said Rainbow. "I don't wanna fight you, despite everything you've done, I can't forget the moments I've been with you. Please stand down."

"NEVER!" said Nightingale angrily.

"Alright then," she said. "You leave me no choice. Don't say you weren't warned." Then she raised her hands to the sky and a large hurricane-like cloud formed around them, with the two flyers in the eye. " **THUNDER!** " Then a huge thunderclap echoed around the area, lighting it up like a Christmas tree before the clouds parted.

Rainbow was exhausted and panted from the strain of summoning the thunder. "It's finally over."

"It is, for now, Rainbow," said Descent nearby as the others woke up on the ground and he charged a dark magic blast while holding his sister in his arms. "But I want you to tell me if she's been seriously injured by that great attack you used against her."

"Nah, I just used the noise to send her unconscious," said Rainbow. "I don't want to hurt her, despite the things she did to me and the others. I can't forget the good times I spent with her, and the parkour lessons she gave me… I never betray my friends, Descent. Even if they betray me."

"Rainbow…" said Descent. "Thank you."

"So what will you do now, Descent?" asked Rainbow.

"Well, that's the thing; I don't know yet," he said. "I think I'm gonna go far away, to think about what I'm really looking for."

"And escape Luna?" asked Rainbow. Descent just chuckled.

"Luna isn't bad, Rainbow," he said. "If you'd know her as I do, you wouldn't think that she has a heart of pure darkness. Now I understand that her way was wrong. I hope that one day she can return to the path that belongs to her."

"Please tell Twilight that she was right…" he said. "And Pinkie…" He chuckled. "Forgive me, but I won't be able to come to the party you'll have once all six of you have met… I really would've like to be your dance partner…"

"Good luck to you, Descent," said Rainbow. "I hope you find what you're looking for."

 **Sonic Prime: Heads up, guys. HUGE plot-twist coming up soon.**

"That name…" said Descent, moving to remove his glasses. "Luna gave it to me as a nickname for war…" Then he removed the glasses to reveal a pair of kind bright blue eyes. (Aforementioned plot-twist in 3… 2… 1…) "Just call me Flash."

 **Sonic Prime: Yep! There she is! Descent was in reality Flash frickin' Sentry! Boom!**

And with that, he left with his sister to an uncertain fate. Back on the ground, the others had gotten up and Rarity was fussing over her hair.

"Oh my! I thought I would die," she said. "Tell me, Pinkie, is my coiffure messed up badly?"

"What are you saying, you look divine…" said Pinkie, giving a weird look with a raised eyebrow. "But truly Rarity, I like your new style. Extravagant and sexy… I think I'm gonna copy you." Rarity was confused about what she meant until she looked and saw her clothes were shredded.

"WHAAAT?!" she shrieked in fear and embarrassment. "AAAH! Twilight! Help me! I look horrible, and this outfit cost me an arm and a leg to get…"

"Okay, okay, fine…" said Twilight, putting on her headband. "Ut Supra!" Then Rarity glowed as her outfit returned to normal. Then she grabbed Twilight in a hug, which knocked off the horn.

"AAAH! It looks divine! Thank you so much!" she said. "You'll have to teach me that trick, ok?"

"Yes, if you say so…" said Twilight.

"Twilight," whispered Pinkie. "Look. You missed a part on the bottom." Twilight looked and saw a neat triangle was still torn out of the outfit right on her bottom.

"Sh…" she shushed Pinkie, who gave her the okay sign with her hand. "By the way, Pinkie, are you okay?"

"Me? Yeah, never felt better. Why?" she asked.

"It's just that your appearance and behavior earlier was a little…" said Twilight, before she decided… "Hmm… No… Nothing, forget it."

"I don't think I need to worry about that," she thought. Then Rainbow flew down.

"Rainbow…" said Fluttershy.

"Flu… Fluttershy…" Rainbow panted as she hovered and her old friend jumped on her in a hug.

"You came back to save us, sister," she said and let out a happy tear. "Thank you." Rainbow then touched down and walked towards the others.

"Rainbow, thank you," said Twilight. "You're a loyal friend."

"Save it for later, Twilight," said Rainbow, looking at Haze. "We're not done yet."

"You're right," she said and looked at him.

"Congratulations, Bearers, for acquiring a new member…" said Haze, a strange tattoo showing under his right eye. "It's about time to show me how powerful you are now that five of you have gathered." The others quickly transformed and charged up attacks, aiming them at the Shadowbolt.


	23. Chapter 6 part 4

**Chapter 6 part 4**

The Bearers and Haze just stood there, watching the other, standing each other's ground for what seemed like hours before Haze generated a green orb and dropped on the ground, forming a strange portal. "Heh," he smirked. "I'm not serious."

"Say what?!" asked the girls as their attacks deactivated.

"You've only just gotten your newest member," said Haze. "I believe after all that, you deserve a few days of quiet relaxation." Then he began to sink into the portal. "Take advantage of it, because when we meet again, I hope that instead of only being just five, you'll already have united with the last Bearer. And when that time comes, I won't be as merciful as I've been during this meeting." Then he disappeared into the portal before it disappeared.

"Oh, what a relief!" Fluttershy sighed relieved. "He left."

"What a troll," said Pinkie, giving the actual troll-face.

"More like a coward." said Rainbow.

"Oh my god," said Rarity, leaning against a tree in relief. "I thought we'd die."

"That was very lucky," said Twilight. "I'm still exhausted from the last fight."

"Yeah, sorry about that by the way," said Rainbow. "My almost killing you, I mean."

"All is forgiven," said Twilight. Then Fluttershy noticed Pinkie looking around.

"Pinkie, is something wrong?" she asked.

"Where's the cute boy?" Pinkie asked.

"You mean Descent?" said Rainbow nonchalantly. "He left like two minutes ago."

"WHAAAT?!" yelled Pinkie, grabbing Rainbow by the shoulders. "At least he said he'd be back, right?!"

"Eh… I dunno," said Rainbow nervously. "He was a little cryptic on that part, but I don't think so."

"NOOOOOO! He didn't even give me his cell number or Facebook…" she cried, driving Rainbow's face into her chest.

"Pinkie, you're exaggerating," Rarity eye-rolled. "I can't believe you've fallen in love with someone who already rejected you like six times over."

"That's why I liked him…" said Pinkie. "His type is more fun than the guys that always say yes." Then he pulled Rainbow out of her chest to reveal she had basically fainted. "I like men that are difficult. The challenge of conquering someone like that is what makes it so much fun…" Then she dropped Rainbow to the ground, basically limp.

"Be that as it may, Pinkie," said Twilight. "But while you were unconscious, I talked with him and I saw he wasn't much interested in you…"

"What, you talked while I was out?" asked Pinkie, utterly gob-smacked. "You're a bad friend, Twilight. You wanted to steal the guy I tried to conquer."

"What? What are you talking about?" asked Twilight.

"If you want to know, you should've just asked me," said Pinkie. "I would've lent him to you for a date. You didn't have to try and steal him."

"Don't say such stupid things!" screamed Twilight. "I don't like that guy!"

 **Sonic Prime: Oh, if only you knew his real name and had your counterpart's memories. Then you'd be able to ride that high horse all day long. Bow chicka bow wow!**

 **Tucker: Hey, did you just do my thing?**

 **Sonic Prime: Shut up, Tucker. Now get the hell out of my office before I shoot you! *switches out robot arm for plasma gun***

 **Tucker: Okay, okay. Jesus. *leaves***

 **Sonic Prime: *puts back gun* Now where were we?**

"I never thought you were one of those girls who steal boyfriends…" said Pinkie as she started getting waterfall tears.

"AAAH! I'M NOT ONE OF THOSE!" yelled Twilight.

"This'll take quite some time," said Rarity, picking up her stuff and walking away with the others. "I better get home."

"Hey Rainbow, how about we get something to eat on the way home?" asked Fluttershy.

"Good call, Flutters, I'm starved," said Rainbow. "But I'm not eatin' no plants."

"But Rainbow, you know I'm a vegetarian…" said Fluttershy.

"Hmm… That's fine," said Rainbow before she noticed the hole in Rarity's outfit. "Hey Rarity, don't you feel a little cold on your back?

"Hmm… No, not really," she said. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason," she giggled as they left Twilight and Pinkie to argue. Meanwhile, on Luna's island, the moon princess clenched her fist in anger at her defeat.

"I've failed again," she growled. "I should never have sent those siblings. On top of that, that Haze man deceived me completely. I can only imagine who sent him. But it wasn't all bad… Now I understand that I've made an error, having given a part of my powers to those three."

"But, if I create a person that possesses the power of all three, those Bearers will never stand a chance," she thought, looking to a strange insect-like egg in the cave she was out in front of. "Arcana, though you are but a child now, you will be the one who brings me victory. When the time comes, not even those five Bearers combined will be able to handle you, hehehe…"

That Friday night, the girls were having the time of their life at Twilight's first slumber party. Spike and Rainbow had a little exchange about how she was a little… underdeveloped in certain areas, which in turn led to her grabbing him in a strangle-hold, but hey, that's Rainbow Dash, the fifth girl to join the Bearers of Harmony; an excellent athlete with strong character and great pride, her heart bursting at the seams with unwavering loyalty to her friends, and always ready for a fight.

Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe, Haze arrived in a small office to see the man from the island at the end of chapter 1 in a chair facing him.

"You've finally returned, Edward," he said. "I'm very eager to hear what happened."

"Luna's attempt to control the Bearer of Loyalty has failed," said Haze, now known as Edward. "Additionally, just before that, the Bearer of Kindness has joined the other Fighters."

"Does this mean that five Bearers have already awakened?" asked the man.

"Correct," said Edward.

"Excellent," the man smirked. "Then everything is going according to plan." Then he got up and walked past Edward. "By the way, about that other mission I gave you… Was it successful?"

"Yes, you were right," said Edward. "That young woman named Applejack turned out to be the last Bearer. For some reason, I find her presence familiar…" The man chuckled. "But there's a problem. She doesn't want to join the others… I searched her mind, and it looks like she went through some sort of trauma."

"Not to worry," said the man. "We'll leave it to the Bearer of Magic to find a solution for that problem… However, if Twilight's results aren't fruitful, we'll handle it ourselves. The most important thing of all is that all six powers of these girls are awakened, no matter the cost. But addressing another issue, Edward, has Luna realized you were an imposter?" Then Edward took down his hood and shapeshifted down into the form of a small pale skilled man with black hair with a blue streak in the front. His eyes were blank and blue, with strange black tattoos under them.

"No, I hid my physical appearance and spiritual essence and was also forced to fight with only about 15% of my power, so as not to draw any attention. Although for now, I know that you've noticed that," he said.

"Indeed I have," said the man. "Still, quite the show."

"Christopher, what will our next objective be?" asked Edward.

"Now that these girls are forming their group," said the man, now known as Christopher. "I think it's time to form one of our own."

"Do you want me to handle this?" asked Edward.

"Don't worry," said Christopher. "This time, I'll do it myself."

"You mean, you'll go to Ponyville?" asked Edward.

"Indeed," said Christopher, opening a small glass box nearby and taking out the contents. "I've been watching two girls who, in my opinion, have great potential to be our allies, but apart from that, I'm very interested in getting to know the beautiful reincarnation of the white unicorn personally. But in addition to meeting Beauty, I'm very curious to see the potential of her imposing… Beast." He gave a cruel chuckle as he looked at the headband in his hand. It looked like Twilight's but the band was black, and the horn was white with a purple ribbon around it… with a red heart-shaped ruby on the horn.

 **To Be Continued…**


	24. Chapter 7 part 1

**Chapter 7 part 1**

A week had passed since the battle against the Shadowbolts, and Luna hadn't attacked the girls since. Despite that, they were not left in peace. This week alone, Discord Jewels have been sent to several animals, turning them into monsters. But thanks to the girls' increased levels, and above all, Rainbow's incredible storm powers, the ensuing battles were quickly resolved without complications. But something's been bugging the girls for a long time.

Since they contended with the Shadowbolts, when the Jewel of Honesty slightly glowed, it hadn't so much as shimmered since. This made finding the next Bearer and their future friend much more complicated. But one day, that all changed.

It was early Sunday morning, and Twilight was still in her bed with the jewel disk on her bedside table when the jewel started glowing, waking her up.

"Hmmm…? What is that light?" she thought drowsily. Upon seeing the jewel glow, she shot up from her bed.

"Oh! The Jewel of Honesty! It must've found its carrier," she said amazed. Then she instinctively looked at the clock and sweatdropped. "This is a joke! It's 6 in the morning. It can't be shining until it's at least 10."

"But it's true," she thought. "It doesn't matter what time it is. Duty calls, and if I don't go now, I may never get another chance." 45 minutes later, she was out on the road outside town on her bike, wearing her horn with the gem disk in her basket.

"Uff!" she panted as she rode. "Oh heavens! Uff!... I never thought that the presence of the Bearer could be so far away. In fact, I think this is the first time one of the jewels have shone while being so far from its carrier. Pretty weird…" Then she used her horn to activate Aura Analysis and saw an orange trail wafting off the road into the woods. Quickly, Twilight ditched her bike and grabbed the disk, wandering into the forest.

"I can sense that I'm closing in. The presence is getting stronger," she thought. "But who could it be? And what are they doing in such a desolate place at this time of day?"

"That's enough for the day…" said a familiar voice. "Tomorrow after classes, I'll see to the rest…"

"Is she…" thought Twilight, peaking through a bush to see…

"Now I better head back home…" said Applejack to an apple tree with a black ribbon tied around it (which I'm confident is relevant to the events leading to her Awakening, but the comic is still a WIP).

"Yes! It's you!" cried Twilight excitedly.

"What?!" asked the country girl, looking back at her.

"Yes! You're Applejack, that girl from my school who helped me back then…" said Twilight amazed and ecstatic.

"What're you doing here?!" asked Applejack angrily.

"I just came by," said Twilight. "Listen, I have something very important to tell you…"

" **NO!** You have to leave," growled Applejack.

"But there's just one thing I want to talk to you ab…" started Twilight.

"No," interrupted Applejack. "I'm very busy right about now. I'll talk to you later, but right now, you need to leave…" Twilight was very confused, but she decided to concede.

"Okay, but promise me you'll talk later, okay?" she asked.

"Yes, but now just go, please…" said Applejack.

"O…Ok…" said Twilight uncomfortably and walked away. Applejack turned back to the tree and rubbed the trunk.

"Finally, she left," she thought aloud. "But how did she find this place?" A few hours later that morning, Rainbow was training in the park to get some leg strength back with Fluttershy timing her, just like old times.

"Faster, Rainbow," said Fluttershy, keeping her eye on the watch, "Time is running out." Then Pinkie appeared and walked up.

"Hey, Flutters! Good morning!" she said happily.

"Pinkie!" said Fluttershy, high-fiving her. "Good morning, how are you?"

"Very well," she replied happily, unaware someone was watching them from a bush. "So, this is what you're doing all the time?"

"Yes," explained Fluttershy. "Usually Rainbow trains in the afternoon, but she hasn't had much time for that as of late, what with all the attacks from those monsters, so we've decided to do it in the mornings these days."

"Sounds like fun!" said Pinkie, running off after Rainbow. "I'm gonna go join her…"

"Wait, Pinkie!" called Fluttershy, but she was too late. Rainbow was far ahead, and for some reason, she was straining to get back up to her usual speed.

"I'm starting to lose strength in my legs because of all these monsters," she thought. "I've come too used to using my wings as a Pegasus." Then Pinkie zipped up in front of her… backwards.

"Hellooo Rainbow! I see you're having fun without me," she said. Rainbow was surprised.

"What are you doing? Can't you see I'm busy here?" she asked.

"Oh!" realized Pinkie. "I thought you were only playing…"

"Playing?! This is something serious, girl!" growled Rainbow.

"I know that," giggled Pinkie. "You're playing seriously… Let's have a race! Loser has to clean the winner's feet with her tongue!"

"Okay…" said Rainbow, confused and disgusted. Then Pinkie zipped on ahead, still backward.

"What?!" Rainbow thought amazed. "Ho… How were you able to speed up like that? And backward?!"

"Pinkie…" said Fluttershy, obviously disturbed. "Never ceases to amaze me…" Then someone dressed in all brown zipped out of the bushes and snagged the stopwatch out of her hand. "Aaah! My stopwatch! Rainbow! A thief! They're fleeing!"

"What?!" asked Rainbow as she ran after the thief. "Idiot! Nobody steals from my friend!"

"Are you okay, Flutters?" asked Pinkie.

"Yes, but we need to follow Rainbow," said Fluttershy.

"Good idea," said Pinkie, pulling Fluttershy up onto her shoulders. "Hold on tight!" Then she ran after Rainbow, with Fluttershy holding on for dear life and screaming. The thief was still staying ahead of Rainbow, getting her impressed at her speed.

"Who could that be?" thought Fluttershy. "They're just as skilled and fast as Rainbow." After running through several streets, Rainbow had finally cornered the thief in a dead-end alley.

"Idiot, you can't escape me…" said Rainbow, a bit tired but content. Then Pinkie stopped behind her, out of breath.

"We made it…" she panted. "I… can't go on…" Then she fell on her back, squishing Fluttershy under her.

"Aaah… Pinkie… Too heavy…" she squeaked in pain.

"Now, gimme that stopwatch," said Rainbow angrily. The thief chuckled in an obvious tomboy voice with a hint of a Russian accent.

"You've gotten more aggressive, Dash," she said in a sort of raspy voice. "I like that…"

"What?! Did… Did you just call me Dash?!" she asked before it hit her. "That's impossible… Only one person in my life has ever called me Dash… Is that you… Gilda?"

"Gilda?" Pinkie and Fluttershy asked each other. The girl threw down her brown hood and turned to fully face Rainbow. She had white hair with tipped in purple and eagle feathers braided onto the sides of her face and gold eyes.

She chuckled. "Long time no see, Rainbow."

In a different area of town, at a boutique called the Carrousel, Twilight was talking to Rarity about the events of earlier that morning.

"Are you saying that Applejack is the last Bearer of Harmony?" asked Rarity surprised. "Hmmm… That does surprise me."

"You know her?" asked Twilight.

"Not exactly," clarified Rarity. "I just know that she transferred to our school this year, but why did you come to ask me?"

"I went to where I found her this morning, but she wasn't there," said Twilight. "I wanted to go to her house, but I don't know where that is. That's where you come in. I need you to help me find her house. Of course, I had no clue I'd find you working on Sundays."

"Did you already forget what I told you and Pinkie when we first met?" she asked. "I need fabric for my clothes and food for the shelter. I work the shelter every Wednesday, but Sundays I work here. And I am literally the best at dealing with customers." As if on cue, one woman walked over with a dress in hand.

"Miss, I'd like to pay for this dress…" she said.

"Lady, can't you see I'm having a conversation here?" asked Rarity indignantly. "Can you believe the nerve of some people?" The woman and Twilight both sweatdropped.

"Ehm… Rarity, I think you're busy," said Twilight. "Maybe it'd be best if we talked later."

"Oh, don't you worry," said Rarity. "I believe I can find out where Applejack lives. I simply have to check her school data."

"I thought that data was confidential." asked a confused Twilight.

"Don't forget you're talking to the president of the Students club," said Rarity with a funny look on her face. "I have my privileges." She chuckled a bit before she got serious. "But seriously, Twilight, do you think she wants to join us? Ever since she came to our school, everybody says that she doesn't speak with anyone, and hasn't been seen with a single friend."

"All the more reason for us to reach out to her," said Twilight. "Once we have some time to talk, I'm sure she'll want to be our friend."

Meanwhile, across town, Rainbow, Gilda, and the others were on the beach.

"Gilda, you really came from Siberia just to see me?" asked Rainbow.

"Did you forget my promise to you three years ago?" asked Gilda. "I swore that I'd look for you and we'd be together. It took me a long time to decide to leave my house and find you, but I just couldn't stop thinking about you." Then she looked over at the others. "By the way, Dash, who are these girls?"

"Oh! Almost forgot…" said Rainbow, rubbing the back of her head. "Gilda, this is my friend Pinkie, met her a few days ago…"

"Hi!" she said waving.

"And this is Fluttershy," continued Rainbow. "We've been friends for more than three years."

"Pleased to meet you, Gilda…" said Fluttershy.

"More… then three years…" thought Gilda weirdly.

"So Rainbow, how long have you known each other?" asked Pinkie.

"We met in Siberia when I was six," remembered Rainbow. "We did everything together, we even competed to see who was the best at sports…"

"And I always won," said Gilda confidently, annoying Rainbow.

"Liar," she said, giving her a playful arm punch. "You only beat me in endurance competitions, but I always won at speed."

Gilda laughed. "Okay, you got me there," she said. "But you can't forget that you always needed me to help you overcome your problems."

"Did you protect her?" asked Fluttershy.

"Yeah, she was a shy little crybaby," said Gilda. "Always getting into trouble."

"L… Lies and slander!" said Rainbow quickly. "Don't… Don't believe her!"

"So you were a shy crybaby, just like Fluttershy," said Pinkie.

"Yes," said Fluttershy, before she realized what Pinkie. "Hey! I'm not a crybaby…" Pinkie just gave a devious giggle.

"But check you out now, Dash," said Gilda, impressed. "You look really tough… Although I don't really like your whole multicolored hair thing at all. What are you trying to look like, a clown?"

"Don't joke," said Rainbow. "Now I'm solely devoted to parkour and I just wanted to change my style a little, that's all."

"Hmmm… I gotcha," said Gilda. "I'm practicing free-climbing nowadays."

"Seriously?! You gotta tell me what you've been up to all these years," said Rainbow as the two friends walked away.

Gilda laughed. "Of course," she said. "We have a lot to talk about, sister."

"Sheesh. What about us?" asked Pinkie. "Don't we exist?" Then she looked at Fluttershy with a weird look. "You're not jealous, are you Fluttershy?"

"Oh, far from it," said the timid girl. "I'm actually glad that Rainbow has been reunited with her old friend. I can see how happy she is."

Again with the meanwhiles, Twilight was on the outskirts of town looking up a hill with a weird look on her face.

"This… This is her house?" she asked herself. "It's enormous!" It was. Applejack's house was basically a huge red mansion with purple roofs and a large stone wall around it. A few hours earlier, Twilight and Rarity were looking at the map on her phone to find Applejack's house.

"Her house is all the way out there?" asked Twilight surprised.

"Yes, it's near the outside of town, but there should be an autobus that can take you there," said Rarity.

"Man, to buy that much land must've cost her parents a fortune," said Twilight.

"You don't know who Applejack is, do you Twilight?" asked Rarity with a strange tone in her voice.

"If I did, we wouldn't be having this conversation, Rarity," said Twilight.

"Twilight, Applejack is the middle child of the owner of Apple-Acres Industries, an American agricultural enterprise, recognized worldwide." said Rarity.

"Uh-huh," said Twilight, not having understood a word of that. "Are there subtitles for that?"

"My friend, Applejack's family are millionaires!" said Rarity.

"WHAAAT?!" asked Twilight. Back to the present, Twilight was confused at what to do.

"Heavens, this could get complicated," she thought. "I hope she won't think I want to gain her friendship for her money."

"Okay, first order of business," she said to herself. "I have to reach the door." Then she started climbing the metal gate (Which, in my opinion, seems stupid, because if I were a millionaire's kid with a giant house all to myself, I'd have an electric current running through the gate to scare people off). "Maybe I can get there by climbing this fence…" But then she lost her grip a couple times, but she kept trying. "Hmmm… I should've brought Rainbow. She's better at this sort of thing than I am."

"Uhmm…" said a male voice behind her. "Maybe if you ring the doorbell, they'll hear ya."

"Oh yeah," Twilight nervously chuckled. "I forgot there was a doorbell. Good idea!" Then she realized she was talking to someone, so she slowly and nervously turned around to see a muscular tan boy, a little older than herself, with orange hair, wearing a red jacket over a white t-shirt, jeans, and cowboy boots.

He cleared his throat. "Howdy," he said calmly, scaring Twilight even more.


	25. Chapter 7 part 2

**Chapter 7 part 2**

Twilight was very nervous about being right in front of the man on his gate, but then she lost her grip on the gate and slipped… right into his arms.

"Careful there, kid," said the man. "You alright?" Twilight could feel the bulge in his arms, and she blushed at it.

"This is the first time any guy other than my brothers has held me," she thought embarrassed. "It feels like my heart is gonna jump out of my chest." The man let her down to the ground and she turned to him, still blushing.

"Th… Thanks, fo… for saving me…" she stuttered, obviously falling for him. "If you weren't there, I might've been seriously hurt."

"No problem, kid," said the man, pulling out his phone.

"Uh, who are you calling?" she asked.

"Just the police, to report a burglary…" he said calmly.

"WHAAAT?!" she asked terrified. "No-no-no… I didn't want to steal anything, I swear!"

"Then why did you want to climb over the fence?" asked the man.

"Oh jeez!" thought Twilight. "How can I explain this? He's never gonna believe me." Then suddenly, the gate opened and a little girl walked over. She had red hair and orange eyes and looked no older than Spike.

"Hey Big Mac, what's taking so long?" she asked before she saw Twilight. "Twilight? What are you doing here?"

"Applebloom! Hey!" said Twilight relieved. Meanwhile, at the beach, Gilda was reminiscing about how she met Rainbow.

"Even when I was a kid, I was considered a bad example for others," she remembered. "My parents died when I was little, so I always saw myself as a confrontational rebel. And when I wanted to get to know others in school, their parents made them avoid me. After a while, I finally accepted the truth… There's always a girl that the world hates. Until one day, a new midget student made me see that even a girl considered a bad example still might be accepted."

 **Flashback**

Years ago, in Siberia, Gilda was just walking when she saw a young Rainbow trying to take her book back from a couple of guys.

"Please give it back," she said, stretching to get it back. "It was a gift from my mother."

"Shut up girl," the boy holding the book said in a thick Russian accent. "I just want to read it…" Gilda rolled her eyes and walked over to help.

"Hey idiots," she said. "Gimme the book."

"Get lost," said the boy. "Stop meddling with our things, ugly girl."

"Da," said the other boy, in an accent just as thick. "Ugly, like a monster." This pissed Gilda off to no end.

"Wh… What did you call me?!" she growled before she jumped at them. "I'm tired of you! I'm gonna kick your asses!" The boys tried to get away, but a few minutes later, they were just lying in the snow, having been beaten unconscious by Gilda, who was just stretching and chuckling.

"Nothing better than hitting a couple dumbasses in the morning," she said before she threw Rainbow her book back. "Y'know kid, if you don't fight for what's yours, they'll always abuse you."

"Thanks," said Rainbow. "Sorry, but what's your name?"

"Get lost, weakling," said Gilda, brushing her off. "I don't wanna be seen with people like you…" Rainbow gave a weak chuckle and scratched the back of her head.

"Okay then…" she said. "But I just wanna give you something in return." Then she grabbed Gilda in a hug. "Thank you, my friend."

 **Back to Present**

"I hadn't gotten such a strong and warm hug since my parents were still alive," remembered Gilda. "It was so beautiful, full of harmony and love… I was paralyzed. My whole life, ever since I was a little girl, I'd been defensive, but that moment was the first time I actually felt helpless, but happy at the same time…"

 **Back to Flashback**

A few hours later, Gilda was sitting on an old stone bridge, rubbing her growling stomach.

"Mmm," she groaned. "I'm so hungry…"

"I really didn't want to have to do this today," she thought. "But I guess I have no choice but to go back and steal some bread from that bakery out front."

"Hey!" said a chipper voice. Gilda looked and was surprised to see Rainbow in front of her with a lunchbox in her hands.

"You again?" she asked confused.

"Are you hungry?" she asked, sitting next to her. "We can share my lunch if you want. My mom always gives me a lot, so I end up with leftovers a lot."

"Wh… Why are you doing this?" asked Gilda. "Haven't you heard the things they say about me?"

"Yeah, I've heard you do bad things," said Rainbow. "But you should only believe what you see in people, not what others say about them. That's what my mom's always telling me."

"And what do you see in me?" asked Gilda.

"A superhero," said Rainbow. "Who saved me from some bad guys." She gave a happy chuckle before the two tucked into Rainbow's food and Gilda gave Rainbow a small smile.

"Th… Thank you," she said. "And by the way, my name's Gilda."

"I like that name," she said. "Mine's Rainbow."

 **Back to Present**

"You make it sound like I helped you," said Rainbow. "But you really always supported me. Like when my mom died, you stood by my side comforting me all the time, like the big sister I never had. And I'm deeply grateful that you taught me not to get trampled by anyone and always feel proud of who I am."

"I should be thanking you, Dash," said Gilda. "Those years I spent with you were happy moments that I treasure deep down in my heart."

"What a nice story," said Fluttershy. "I can only imagine how close you two were."

"You said it, kid," said Gilda. "I vowed to always protect her, and no matter how big the distance between us, I'll always come to her aid."

"Hey! You're making it sound like I'm a little girl," said Rainbow. "I'm thirteen, and I can take care of myself."

"That's what you think, ya big baby!" laughed Gilda, yanking on Rainbow' cheek.

"OW! Hey, hands off!" she cried. Then Pinkie's stomach started growling.

"Ah! All that talking got me hungry," she groaned.

"You're right," realized Fluttershy. "We haven't eaten anything since this morning. Not to worry, girls, lunch is on me tonight."

"Great," said Gilda. "I'd kill for a hamburger right now." This sparked terrified looks from Rainbow and Pinkie as they glanced at each other.

"You… e… eat meat?" asked Fluttershy with an enraged quiver in her voice.

"Yeah, of course," said Gilda. "Dash, you remember how I taught you how to hunt for food, right?"

"H… Hunted… animals?!" growled Fluttershy.

"Oh, hell yeah," said Gilda. "Sometimes we just did it for the fun of it."

"FOR FUN!" shrieked Fluttershy, getting more and more angry by the minute.

"Ehm… C-Calm down, Flutters," said Rainbow scared for her life. "Gilda's always been such a joker. Now, how about we go grab some of those great veggies we both like so much?"

"Yes! And when we get there, we're gonna have a very serious talk, understood?!" growled Fluttershy.

"Y… Yes…" Rainbow stuttered in fear. "Pinkie, c… come with us please?"

"Screw that," said Pinkie. "With Fluttermonster there, I'd have to be a lunatic to join you."

 **Sonic Prime: Pinkie, you are a lunatic.**

 **Pinkie: My point exactly.**

 **Sonic Prime: God dammit, Pinkie, I thought we talked about the whole fourth wall thing.**

"Don't be a coward and just come with us!" said Rainbow, trying to pull her with her.

"I don't wanna! I don't wanna!" yelled Pinkie, kicking like a little girl having a tantrum.

"You two! Come here! Now!" growled Fluttershy grabbing the two and pulling them away. "We're gonna go buy vegetables and I don't wanna hear anything about any kind of meat, you hear me?"

"Yes…" said Pinkie and Rainbow as they were dragged away. Gilda just stayed where she was and laughed at their misfortune. But at this moment, someone walked up behind her.

"Having fun, Gilda?" he asked. Gilda recognized the voice and looked behind her to see him.

"You!" she said shocked.

Meanwhile, at Applejack's house, Twilight and Big Mac were talking on the couch.

"Sorry again I tried to call the cops on ya, Twilight," he said.

"Don't apologize, Big Mac," said Twilight. "Truth be told, if I saw someone trying to access my property, I'd probably do the same thing." Then she gave a nervous laugh and blushed.

"Nice work, Juliet," she thought. "You meet a cute boy and his first impression is that you're a burglar."

"But do tell," said Mac. "How come you know my little sister?"

"Applebloom?" asked Twilight. "Oh, she and my little brother Spike are in the same class. He usually invites her to our apartment to study."

"Oh yeah! So y'all live in that building I always stop at so AB can study with a friend?" asked Mac.

"Yeah," said Twilight, before something hit her. "So that's your red pick-up truck that you always show up in to pick her up."

Mac laughed. "Eeyup. Small world, ain't it?"

"You said it," laughed Twilight.

"Hmmm…" said Applebloom weirdly. "I can see you two are gettin' on fine. How's bout I get y'all some drinks." Then she zipped away.

"Wait, Applebloom!" yelled Twilight after her. "It's not like that! I mean… Grr!" Then she just sat back down, her face turning brighter and brighter red.

"What an uncomfortable silence," she thought. "Come on Twilight, say something!"

"By the way, your parents' house is really nice." she said.

"Well thanks, but you're wrong," said Mac. "It ain't my Pappy's place, it's mine. He's back in the states leadin' the company. I'm just in charge of business here in Ponyville."

"You manage your father's company here in town _and_ you have a huge house to yourself?" she asked. Mac scratched the back of his head and gave her an awkward chuckle, but said she was right.

"Responsible, good manners, handsome, and he has his own house?" thought Twilight. "He's perfect! Oh great, now I'm Pinkie Pie." Then something struck her.

"Hang on a second. You just said your father?" she asked. "What about your mother? Isn't she with him?"

"No," said Mac sadly. "She died about ten years ago. I was nine when she drew her last breath."

"Oh God, I'm sorry, Mac," said Twilight. "I… I didn't know."

"Don't worry bout it. I'm basically over it, but still," said Mac. "But hang on. You told me earlier that you came to see Applejack. You two friends?"

"Not exactly," said Twilight. "Honestly, that's what I wanna be."

"Hmmm… That might get a little complicated," said Mac, looking out the window. "She hasn't had friends for more than 5 years."

"Really? Why not?" asked Twilight.

"Sorry Twilight," said Mac. "As long as AJ doesn't permit me, I can't talk bout it."

"Okay, I understand," said Twilight. Just then, Applebloom pulled Applejack in.

"Hey, big sis, I'm glad you're here," she said.

"Hey Applebloom," said Applejack, rubbing her head. "You finish all your chores?"

"Yes! Look, I got a surprise for ya. Your friend's waiting for you…" said Applebloom, dragging her sister in front of the couch. Once Applejack saw Twilight, she scowled.

"What the hell is she doin' here?" she asked.

"You… You promised me that we'd talk later, remember?" asked Twilight.

"I sure didn't say we'd talk today," said Applejack. "Now get the hell out."

"Sis, that ain't very honest…" said Mac.

"Don't mess with this, big brother," said Applejack angrily.

"I know, I know, but if you promised you two would talk, you have to talk," said Mac. "Or aren't those the values you wanna teach our little sister?"

"Alright, alright, fine," said Applejack, accepting defeat. "You, come with me. There's a room in here where we can talk in private."

"I thought we'd go into the city," said Twilight. "How can I get home now?"

"Ain't my problem," said Applejack walking through a door.

"Don't worry bout it, Twilight," said Mac. "If you want, I can give you a lift in my truck."

"Seriously though, I'm not being a bother, right?" asked Twilight.

"Don't worry about it," said Mac. "I need to head into town anyway. I gotta do some shoppin'." Twilight blushed.

"Th… Thanks, Mac," she said as shoujo sparkles flashed around her. "You're very friendly."

"Hey, girl! Quit wastin' my time and get in here!" yelled Applejack.

"Alright, all right, I'm coming," said Twilight walking in after her. "Don't get pissed."

"Hey Big Mac, what do you think Twilight wants to tell Applejack anyway?" asked Applebloom.

"I don't know, Applebloom," he replied. "I just hope the gal's got luck on her side." Meanwhile, back with Gilda…

"Why did you follow me, Christopher?" she asked.

"Come now, my dear," asked the unusual man. "Is that any way to treat somebody that got you this far? Solely so you can return and see your beloved Rainbow…"


	26. Chapter 7 part 3

**Chapter 7 part 3**

"You lied to me…" said Gilda. "You said that Rainbow's in danger in this city."

"Come now, Gilda," said Christopher. "I never lie, and you'll soon realize that. Pity you'll realize you're lying at the same time."

"What are you talking about? I've never lied to anyone, least of all Rainbow," said Gilda.

"You're lying to yourself right now, Gilda," said Christopher. "Or are you telling me that you only came to see Rainbow because she's in danger? The only real reason you came here was to see whether she really forgot you. Tell me, what did you feel to see her with her two friends? Anguish? Disappointment? Or simply jealousy?"

Gilda gave a snarky chuckle. "I know you're playing me here, man, and it's not gonna work. Your words don't get me angry with Rainbow."

"And what would it help me to see you angry with her?" asked Christopher. "I just want for you to not suppress your emotions, but mainly that she doesn't mock you?"

"Mock me?" asked Gilda.

"Yes," said Christopher. "After all, it's been, what, three years since you last saw her? And in just those three years, she's now friends with Fluttershy, which means it only took her a few months to get to know her new best friend and forget all about you."

"Her new best friend?" asked Gilda, getting angry. "I'm her only friend. I was always there for her when she needed me."

Christopher chuckled. "You're lying to yourself again, Gilda," he said. "Aren't _you_ the one that needed _her_ the most?" Gilda just growled. "Admit it. You feel something's missing without her. For you, Rainbow was as necessary as food, satiating the hatred you have towards the world, but especially giving you a reason to live, because, for her, you were her hero."

"Shut up!" growled Gilda. "I'll always be her hero…"

"See, that's where you're wrong," said Christopher. "It has already changed. Now you're just a stain on her current life. You can't give her what she needs anymore. Now, her new friends are fulfilling what is most important for Rainbow. Something every living being has longed for since the time of creation, something that helps to have friends as well as aiding in destroying them."

"Tell me what it is?!" growled Gilda questioningly.

"Patience, my dear," said Christopher. "You'll find out soon enough."

"N…No… She can't have switched me out… I know she still wants me…" said Gilda.

"If you're so convinced of her loyalty," said Christopher. "Why not ask her?"

"What?" asked Gilda.

"Yes, the question you've wanted to ask her since you got here," said Christopher evilly. "A simple question, true, but one that will reveal all your concerns. And you'll soon discover what Rainbow really wants…"

Gilda screwed her eyes shut in anger, but she just growled and opened them. "Shut up!" she yelled, but when she looked, she saw that he had vanished.

"Gilda, come on!" shouted Rainbow as she and the others returned. "We bought lunch!"

"Come quickly or we'll leave you out!" giggled Pinkie.

"Leave… me out?" thought Gilda. She looked at the three friends and instantly grew even angrier.

Meanwhile, with Twilight, she and Applejack were in a huge room at her house.

"Is this a gym? God, you've got everything here." Twilight marveled.

"You can tell me what you want right here, and make it quick," said Applejack angrily.

"Why are you so angry with me? I haven't done anything wrong," said Twilight.

"Wrong, little missy," said the country girl. "You come to my house uninvited, turn my siblings against me, and finally… I just straight-up hate girls who fall for my brother!" Twilight turned bright red and turned away, giving a nervous chuckle.

"No idea what you're talking about…" she said. Applejack just put two fingers to her forehead in exasperation.

"Forget it," she said. "Now what do you want?"

"Well first of all, what I tell you is the same thing I was told," said Twilight. "It's gonna be a little hard to believe, but I assure you it's true. But first I need to know, do you believe in reincarnation?"

"You mean having prior lives and all that?" asked Applejack.

"Exactly," said Twilight.

"I guess," said Applejack. "Why?"

"Well, you see I have this older sister, Celeste, and she told me that all beings possess a soul and that once we die, that soul is reborn saving the memories of our previous lives." said Twilight.

"Okay then, so is your sister a spiritualist or something?" asked Applejack.

"Archaeologist actually," said Twilight. "Anyway, on one of her expeditions to the Mediterranean, she found the ruins of an ancient civilization that nobody else ever even knew existed. This culture worshipped one single goddess known as Celestia, but she wasn't actually in human form. If anything, she looked like a unicorn with giant bird wings. Anyway, after that some sort of shadow monster attacked her, but she was saved by a woman named Zecora, and she told my sister that she had been looking for her for a long time because she is the reincarnation of Celestia."

"So your sister was a goddess?" asked Applejack, not believing any of it. "Yeah, sure."

"Please let me continue…" said Twilight exasperated.

"Yikes! Okay, go on," said Applejack.

"Thank you," said Twilight. "Now, Zecora gave my sister a crown that belonged to her previous life, and when she put it on, her dormant magical powers were awakened and she was able to learn from a remnant of the goddess's spirit left in the crown. The spirit told her the truth of her origin; She explained that she wasn't a goddess, but an immortal alicorn princess from another dimension, who ruled a kingdom called Equestria, a place where humans are nonexistent and ponies, unicorns, Pegasai and other magical creatures ruled and lived in peace and harmony."

"Great," said Applejack. "So y'all say they had houses, schools, sweet apple orchards, things like that?"

"More or less," said Twilight. "Look, can I just finish my story?"

"Fine," said Applejack, getting impatient.

"At one moment, completely unexpected, something terrible happened," continued Twilight. "What once was a place of harmony became a carnival of chaos. An unknown force Celestia's spirit can't even remember struck the realm and its surrounding kingdoms, threatening the people."

"Lemme guess; they were enslaved?" asked Applejack, still not buying it.

"Worse," said Twilight. "It threatened to extinguish the souls of all who lived there altogether. Celestia had no choice but to use a forbidden spell, known to and usable by only members of the Royal Family like her; the Magic Exodus! And thus, she liberated her people's souls and sent them all to another dimension, so they could be reincarnated there until the day that Equestria was once again inhabitable. And the only place he could think of sending them to was this human world."

"I imagine you're telling me that tall tale because you lived in this world?" asked Applejack. "And even if that were true, why drag me into it?"

"That's the most important part," said Twilight. "In Equestria, there existed a group of six great friends; two earth ponies, two Pegasai and two unicorns, whose connection was unbreakable. Celestia said she had never seen a friendship in Equestria as intense as shown by this group before nor since."

"Their friendship was so steadfast, they managed to awaken a thousand-year-old power of such immense power that it would lead their world to perfection," she continued. "This power was separated into six pieces and known as the Elements of Harmony, representing the Laughter, Generosity, Kindness, Loyalty, Honesty, and Magic in all beings. Although this power was incapable of preventing the disaster that leveled the realm, once those six ponies were brought to Earth, the Elements came along with them. Celestia naturally plans to return, gather these ponies and restore their old kingdom. But she discovered something terrible that must be stopped before she returns."

"In this world, once the eclipse occurs at the end of this year, a crack will appear in the wall separating this dimension and another," she went on. "A dimension that is being used as a prison for a monster that once lived in Equestria. Its name is Discord, Spirit of Pure Chaos. The rift will not allow it to cross over to this world, but its aura will cause great chaos in the minds of those who live on Earth. Due to this threat, the Elements of Harmony have to adapt and be used as a power to defend the world from threats Discord sends. But the Elements can only be used by the humans who possess the souls of the ponies that awakened them the first time around."

"That's amazing and all, but it still doesn't explain why you're telling me this," said Applejack.

"Then let me clear some confusion from your mind," said Twilight. "Several weeks ago, Celeste sent me the jewel disk that holds the Elements of Harmony. She told me I, Twilight Sparkle, was the Bearer of the Element of Magic, and I've spent the next few days reuniting with the others. Then I met Pinkie Pie, almost age 15, who turned out to be the Bearer of Laughter. Then came Rarity, age 16, who represents Generosity. Then Fluttershy joined us, same age 14 as I am, proving great Kindness and that she represents that very Element. And finally came Rainbow Dash, age 13, the exact Elemental personification of her sense of Loyalty."

"But we're still missing the last of our friends from Equestria," said Twilight, pawing around in her pocket. "I've spent the last several weeks searching for her, but I couldn't get anything. Until this morning, when it led me right to its Bearer."

"Wait, you mean-?" asked Applejack.

"Yes," said Twilight, pulling the Jewel of Honesty out of her pocket. "You are the last friend we need to join our cause. You, Applejack age 15, are the Bearer of the Element of Honesty." Applejack was shocked and thought she had to have been dreaming.

Back with the others, they had sat down to lunch. One that Fluttershy picked out of course.

"You see, girls? Now we can try something new. What do you think of this delicious tofu?" she asked.

"Mm. It… It's great," said Rainbow. Then she moved close to Pinkie.

"Pinkie, I can't eat any more of this crap," she whispered.

"Just hang in there," Pinkie whispered back. "I'll get us some burgers later."

"What are you two muttering about?" asked Fluttershy.

"Nothing!" the two quickly said. Gilda was still thinking about what Christopher said earlier when Rainbow noticed.

"Hey Gilda, you alright?" she asked. "You've barely even touched your food. I know it's not burgers, but seriously it's not that bad."

"Dash… Do you still like me?" asked Gilda.

"What? Of course, I do. Why do you ask?" asked Rainbow.

"Then will you come back to Siberia with me?" asked Gilda.

"What?!" asked Rainbow, extremely confused. Pinkie and Fluttershy looked at the two in surprise.

"After everything, we went through together back there, don't you want to?" asked Gilda.

"Gilda…" said Rainbow still confused. Then suddenly, a huge black vortex appeared in the air and something shot down from it.

"Girls, look!" yelled Fluttershy.

"Is that what I think it is?" asked Rainbow.

"What is that?!" asked Gilda.

"It's a Monster of Discord!" said Pinkie happily. "Finally, some action!"

"Monster of Discord?" asked Gilda, having no idea what was going on.

"Oh no!" said Fluttershy, seeing the civilians on the dock. "If the people see it, it'll cause a lot of fuss."

"Fluttershy, can you give us some cover?" asked Rainbow.

"I've got just the technique for it. I'm on it!" she said, as she transformed and took off.

"What the hell's going on here?! Why does Fluttershy have wings?!" asked Gilda.

"Sandstorm!" called Fluttershy as she flapped her wings hard, sending up a sand-blind. Pinkie looked out into the water and saw the monster they were dealing with was a large bipedal hydra.

"Perfect! Time to get into my Element!" she said, shedding her clothes to reveal a white bikini. "It's always a good move to bring a bathing suit for exactly these occasions. It's time to have some fun, Monster!"

"Wh… Who are you?" asked Gilda. Then Rainbow transformed, her wings quickly spreading. "Dash… You have wings too?!"

"Gilda, go take cover for a while," said Rainbow. "I'll explain what's going on here later." Quickly, she flew after Pinkie as they ran towards the monster.

"Can this be the danger that guy talked about?" thought Gilda. Meanwhile, Christopher himself was standing on a palm tree watching.

"This day gets more interesting by the minute…" he said. Back to Twilight, she had finished explaining to Applejack.

"So, to wrap all this up, we were friends in another dimension, and I was the guardian of some mystical power," said Applejack. "I get it right?"

"Yes!" said Twilight hopefully. "You believe me now?" Applejack just scoffed.

"I knew it was a kick in the bucket to listen to you," she said. "You just wasted my time."

"Wait, you… You don't believe me?" asked Twilight.

"I mean, props for your creativity and all," said Applejack. "That was the most absurd tale I've ever heard. But look hon, I stopped believing in fairy tales and unicorns years ago."

"So then, I take it you need to see it to believe it?" asked Twilight.

"If I can't see it, it doesn't exist," confirmed Applejack.

"Then see it with your own eyes," said Twilight as an aura surrounded her and she transformed.

"No… This can't be true…" said Applejack.

"Believe it Applejack," said Twilight, making six lights appear in her hands. "Now I will teach you what the Power of Friendship really is…"


	27. Chapter 7 part 4

**Chapter 7 part 4**

On the beach, the battle was raging.

"Light Machine Gun!" yelled Rainbow, firing orbs of light at the hydra as Pinkie used her water powers like Iron Man's hand thrusters to coast along the surface before she dove.

"Ice Prison!" she bubbled and the water around the monster instantly froze, entombing it, and chilling the water.

"Y'know, in retrospect, I probably should've gotten out of the water first!" Pinkie shivered as she surfaced.

"I still can't believe what I'm seeing," thought Gilda.

"Gilda," said Christopher in her mind. "At last, we can talk freely."

"Are… Are you like them?" asked Gilda. "Do you have powers too?"

"Indeed," said Christopher. "But the more important question is; how do you feel now that you know the truth?"

"I don't know," said Gilda, holding her forehead. "There are so many things going through my head. I'm so confused. So, is this why she doesn't need me like she did before?"

"I'm afraid so," said Christopher. "What every being seeks since creation, what allows you to have friends as what can also be the cause of a friendship to end, is power. Alongside Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, she finally reached a power that goes above and beyond anything that you're able to obtain. Back then, she was always with you, because you had the power and control to intimidate others before. With you, she felt safe. But now, what can you offer her? She already has the power she needed all along."

"No… That's not true," said Gilda. "I can still give her what she needs…"

"My naïve little girl, you don't mean anything to her anymore," said Christopher. Then Rainbow noticed something as she was battling.

"Unbelievable!" she thought. "I attack one of the heads, it gets back up almost instantly!"

"Pinkie!" called Rainbow, but she noticed that Pinkie was laying on a large bubble, trying to get a suntan. "Stop tanning and give me a hand here!"

"You're supposed to be the hero here," said Pinkie. "I'm bored of playing with that thing."

"THIS ISN'T A GAME!" cried Rainbow.

"Girls, can you do this a little faster?" asked Fluttershy. "I can hardly keep the sand suspended in the air like this. Y'know, so people don't come here."

"I'm doing the best I can here, Flutters!" yelled Rainbow, but she didn't notice one of the hydra's heads was behind her aiming a beam of magic from its mouth.

"Rainbow, watch out!" called Fluttershy. Rainbow quickly saw it and used her Magnetosphere shield spell just before the blast hit her, but the shield was about to give way, and the other three heads of the monster were aiming beams at her.

"DASH!" yelled Gilda in concern. Quickly, Pinkie jumped up and moved to attack.

"I'm on my way, my friend!" she called. "Horizontal Cut!" Then she whipped water around the monster in a slashing move before she landed perfectly.

"YAHOO! That was so much fun!" she said. Then she looked back at the hydra and saw she had cut all four of its heads off. She stood in silent shock for a minute before her face turned sour. "Oops! I think I killed it…"

"LOOK AT THE MESS YOU MADE!" growled Rainbow, pulling her hair.

"I… I think I'm… gonna be sick…" said Fluttershy, trying to hold in her puke. Then Rainbow saw the stumps moving.

"Wait a second! That thing's still alive!" she yelled. Clearly, they didn't remember one rule of thumb for when fighting a hydra; when you cut off one head, two more grow back in its place. And that's what happened. The hydra grew eight new heads.

"Way to go, dumbass!" Rainbow yelled at Pinkie. "Now you've just made things harder!"

"If we go on like this, this battle will never end!" thought Fluttershy. Back at Applejack's house, Twilight was sending small wisps of magic energy around Applejack's body.

"Is this real? Doesn't feel like it's hurting me," said the country girl.

"I'd never hurt a friend, Applejack," said Twilight. "Are you now convinced that what I told you is real?

"Yeah, I believe it now," said Applejack as Twilight turned back to normal. "Although sometimes, it's good to be close-minded so you don't get hurt." Twilight was confused at hearing that. "So, with this jewel, I'll be able to do magic?"

"Not exactly," said Twilight. "Only those who were unicorns in their past lives like me and Rarity can use magic, but you and the others can manipulate the natural elements. Surely that will be your power. We'll find a way to awaken it over time." Then she gave a happy chuckle. "This is so exciting. We'll all be finally together again, just like the great friends we used to be. And most importantly, we'll look out for each other."

"Look… out for each other?" asked Applejack with a strange tone to her voice, but Twilight paid it no mind.

"Cmon. First, we'll go to grab Rarity, and then we'll all meet up with the others at my apartment," she said. "I'm sure they'll all be really happy to get to know you." She gave a happy chuckle as she moved for the door.

"No, Twilight…" said Applejack.

"No?" asked Twilight. "What do you mean, no?"

"You're wrong," said Applejack. "I don't want to join you. I won't be part of your friendship." Twilight was shocked. The Gem couldn't have been lying to her about Applejack… Could it?

Back at the beach, two girls were trying to break Fluttershy's Sandstorm to see what was going on.

"AAAH!" one of them screamed. "Lyra! Where do you think you're dragging me?!"

"Cmon Bon-Bon," said the other. "If we can get through this sandstorm, maybe we can see what's going on at the beach. I'm sure it has something to do with that winged unicorn I saw that night."

"This again?" asked Bon-Bon, obviously ticked. "Don't you know a natural phenomenon when you see one?"

"Since when do random sandstorms show up on the beach?" asked Lyra. "It must be because of that meteor I saw falling out into the bay."

Bon-Bon just facepalmed. "Sometimes I wonder why I'm still friends with you." Then Fluttershy saw them through the sand.

"Oh no! Rainbow, there are people trying to get through the barrier!" she called. "I won't be able to contain them for long. We have to take this thing down now!"

"How? Every time we beat this thing down, it just gets back up!" said Rainbow.

"Remember what Twilight told us," said Fluttershy. "We don't need to completely beat these monsters. We just need to find and destroy the Discord Jewel to send the monster back where it came from."

"Oh yeah," said Rainbow. Quickly, she flew up to try and get more altitude and get a better look at things. Gilda was still watching and was extremely confused.

"So this is the kind of dangers she's facing here?" she asked.

"Indeed, Gilda," said Christopher in her mind. "These are the kinds of risks she's running into daily. But even if they beat this hydra, they would still have to face the monster that sends these beasts to the city. And believe me, Rainbow and her friends won't be enough to stop it."

"No! What can we do?" asked Gilda, afraid for her friend.

"'We'? You make it sound like you could take on this hydra single-handedly," said Christopher. "In these situations, you're nothing more than a mere mortal. An insect."

"Shut up! I can help her! I'll always be Dash's protector!" said Gilda.

"Forget those pipedreams of the past," said Christopher. "Your time is over. She took your place as her protector."

"You're wrong!" yelled Gilda. "I'll protect her! I promised it to her mother before she died! I never break a promise!" Then one of the hydra's heads noticed her and moved to attack her.

"Gilda, watch out!" yelled Fluttershy. Gilda screamed, but Rainbow swooped in and grabbed her just in time.

"Dash! You saved me!" she said amazed.

"Like I'd let my oldest friend get turned into hydra chow," said Rainbow as she landed. "Now stay away from this thing! We can handle it."

"Dash, I don't want you to get hurt!" said Gilda.

"Relax, old pal," said Rainbow. "I'm thirteen now. And it's my turn to look out for you!" Unfortunately, Gilda took it the wrong way, thinking she meant she was just a nuisance to her now, which pleased Christopher to no end. Then he felt something.

"Mmph! Whose spiritual essence is that?" he thought. "Its level is almost on par with that of Luna. Who is it?" Finally, Rainbow had gotten a high enough angle on the beast, but she remembered that only unicorns could locate where the gem was in one of these Discord Monsters.

"Ugh. If only Rarity or Twilight were here," she said. Just then, a large white ball of light shot into the area.

"What the-?" asked Fluttershy as it whizzed past her. Pinkie was confused too, but then the blast exploded into a white spell-seal over the hydra.

"What the hell's going on here?!" asked Rainbow as the light almost blinded her. Then Fluttershy saw something.

"Rainbow, look! On the monster's back!" she called. Rainbow rubbed the hazy light shadows out of her eyes and saw the large brown Discord Jewel embedded in the hydra's back.

"Sweet! Now I have a clear shot at the Jewel!" she laughed before something hit her and she looked around. "That was Twilight's Barrier spell," she thought. "Only way bigger. Who cast it?"

"Rainbow, Pinkie, we have to defeat this monster now!" cried Fluttershy.

"Right!" the two called.

"Hmm," thought Christopher. "I admit I wasn't expecting that kind of help for the Bearers." He sensed that spiritual essence from earlier again and looked up to the top of a nearby building. Near the edge was a tall girl with tan skin and red hair streaked with yellow.

 **Sonic Prime: Three guesses as to who that is. First two don't count.**

"Unusual," Christopher thought as he looked up at her. "I thought I knew all the humans who could use magic in this world." Then he looked at her hand and saw a headband, like Twilight's but the horn was orange and it looked like a tie-on thing. "A horn-wand! That must mean she lived in Equestria in the past. But then who does she serve, Celestia or Luna? Or does she only serve herself?" The girl glanced at him from under her low-brimmed hat for a minute before turning and using her horn-wand to conjure a fiery portal away. "I would face you to find out what you're planning, but you're not my priority." The girl raised her hat to look down at him again, revealing one of her bright blue eyes, but then she walked into the portal and it disappeared. "However, from now on, I'll be sure to keep my eyes open."

"Sweet!" said Rainbow. "Now that we know where the Jewel is, I can deal with it myself at full power!"

"Rainbow wait!" called Fluttershy. "Don't use your Thunder move. If the strikes hit somewhere else, it could harm people or the other sea-life."

"Relax Flutters," said Rainbow. "I've been working on a new technique. It's just as strong as Thunder but way more focused and effective. Only strikes where I want it to."

"Cmon, Bon-Bon," said Lyra. "Just a little further and we'll be through the sandstorm!"

"AAAH, Lyra! If this sand doesn't wash out, I'll kill you!" yelled Bon-Bon.

"Pinkie, listen!" yelled Rainbow. "I want that monster restrained so that when I hit it, I won't miss!"

"No problemo, Rainbow," said Pinkie. "I got just the thing for that." Then two glowing pink lights appeared in the water behind her as it started to rise. "From the depths of the ocean, I summon my beloved pet…" Then the water shot up and took the form of a giant baby alligator. "Gumzilla!"

"Where does she get these ideas…?" asked Fluttershy, genuinely disturbed.

"When is she gonna take this work seriously?" asked Rainbow angry.

"Give him a big bite, Gumzilla!" yelled Pinkie. The water construct quickly jumped at the hydra and grabbed one of its tails in its mouth, confusing one of its heads. "Rainbow, quick! While it's distracted!" Rainbow's first two fingers quickly started crackling with electricity as she flew down to the monster as fast as she could. The seven heads that weren't distracted by Gumzilla started swirling around, trying to stop her, but Rainbow was just too fast. Once she was close enough, she touched her glowing fingers to the Discord Jewel and quickly flew away, landing nearby. She stood up and faced away from the monster looking at the ground with a smirk.

"Lightning Rod," she said simply. Then a huge thunderbolt shot down from the sky and engulfed the monster's torso, shattering the Jewel with one strike. Then the hydra disappeared in a red sparkling explosion.

"We did it!" yelled Fluttershy in victory. Rainbow just returned to normal and wiped her brow.

"Whew!" she said. "Finally."

"Buh-bye, baby!" said Pinkie as Gumzilla returned to the ocean. "Have a nice sleep! See you next time!" Finally, Fluttershy and Pinkie powered down and the sandstorm receded just as Lyra and Bon-Bon walked over.

"Satisfied? I told you it was just a natural thing," said Bon-Bon.

"That doesn't make sense," said Lyra. "I swear I just heard a monster roaring."

"It was probably just your stomach," said Bon-Bon, unamused. "We did skip lunch, so you could check this out."

"Nonsense," said Lyra. "That wasn't my stomach. Here, I'm gonna go ask those girls if they saw anything."

"You did really well, girls," said Fluttershy.

"You did pretty awesome too, Flutters," said Rainbow. Gilda was watching them and was still concerned.

"See, Gilda?" said Christopher. "These three only need each other. To them, you're nothing more than a shadow in mid-day." The girl was still quiet and was starting to cry. Then Lyra walked up to the other three with a tape recorder.

"Hello, girls," she said. "We're reporters for the university's daily newspaper. Tell us, did you see something strange a moment ago?"

"S… Something strange?" asked Fluttershy, worried.

"Yes, a strange light, sharp sounds," said Lyra. "The roar of a monster?!"

"Whatever you're smoking, lady, it's messing with your head," said Rainbow. "There's no monster."

"Don't lie to me, kid," said Lyra. "You're telling me those noises were natural? No way." Rainbow and Fluttershy looked at each other in concern, but Pinkie just looked back over her shoulder.

"You mentioned some kind of roar?" she asked.

"Yes! Did you hear it?" asked Lyra. Pinkie laughed.

"Rainbow's right, you're high," she said. "I was just burping after eating some delicious tofu. Listen…" Then she let out a huge belch that sounded so like the hydra's roar, Rainbow's hair stood on end. "It was my way of saying 'thank you for the food'." Lyra looked awestruck at how wrong she was as Bon-Bon walked up, massaging her temple.

"Sorry about this, girls," she said, grabbing Lyra. "Just carry on with your day. Come on, Sherlock, let's just go back to that investigation on the strange food the cafeteria served on Friday." Then she dragged Lyra away.

"But I'm sure it was a monster! And it was brought by the white unicorn I saw that night!" Lyra yelled. Bon-Bon facepalmed.

"Sometimes I wonder why we're friends," she said.

"Whew!" said Rainbow in relief. "Nice work, Pinkie. You saved our hides."

"Glad you liked it!" said Pinkie. "I can do it again if you want!"

"NO!" yelled Rainbow and Fluttershy.

"By the way, Pinkie, this just occurred to me, but aren't you a little ashamed to be walking around in your undies?" asked Rainbow.

Pinkie laughed. "You're stupid, Dashie. This is my bikini," she said.

"Um, I'm not Rarity, but yeah, I'm pretty sure that's underwear," said Fluttershy. Pinkie looked herself over and realized she was right.

"Oh yeah," she said and gave a nervous giggle. "I forgot I wasn't wearing my bikini. Upside, at least I didn't forget to wear my undies today."

"You have absolutely no sense of modesty, do you?" asked Rainbow.

"Modesty? What's that? Can you eat it?" asked Pinkie. Fluttershy laughed as Gilda walked up.

"Oh Gilda, sorry to keep you waiting," said Rainbow. "Now lemme explain. It's kind of a long story, so bear with me."


	28. Chapter 7 part 5

**Chapter 7 part 5**

Back at Applejack's house…

"Wait what? You don't want our friendship?" asked Twilight. "Why?"

"When I was younger, I discovered what friendship actually means to people," said Applejack.

"What? What are you talking about?" asked Twilight, still confused.

"I learned everything I need to know about it, which is why I prefer livin' with my folks and not worryin' about others," said Applejack darkly.

Twilight was concerned. Luna couldn't have gotten to her already. Could she? "You know everything about friendship?" she asked. "Then what does it mean to you?"

"It's simple really, Twilight," said the cowgirl. "In the end, it can be summarized in one word… convenience…" Back on the beach, Rainbow had finished explaining everything to Gilda.

"And that's why we have powers, and we're using them to protect the city…" she finished.

"Although I do admit I'm a little scared when these monsters show up," said Fluttershy.

"Don't be afraid, Fluttershy," said Pinkie. "As long as we're together, nothing can touch us." That started to anger Gilda as she clenched her fist.

"Yeah, cmon Flutters, you know we're always gonna be there to protect you…" said Rainbow. Gilda's rage was still bubbling, but the pot finally boiled over at Pinkie's next comment.

"That sounded so romantic," she said and giggled.

"You are so weird sometimes, Pinkie," said Rainbow.

"ENOUGH ALREADY!" yelled Gilda. Then she grabbed Rainbow's hand and dragged her away. "It's over, Dash! We're going back to Siberia!"

"Ouch! Hey Gilda, that hurts, what gives?" asked Rainbow.

"Don't distend, it'll hurt less then what you'd go through if you stay here," said Gilda.

"Gilda, I can't leave," said Rainbow, dragging her hand away.

"What?! Why, because of them?" asked Gilda.

"Not just them. See, there's this woman named Luna," said Rainbow.

"Enough excuses," said Gilda. "I won't let anything happen to you. By the love you had for your mother, I won't allow it!" Rainbow was about to say something else, but then she just creased her eyes and glared at her old friend.

"Ooh, low blow…" she said.

"Gilda, I promise you," said Fluttershy, putting her hand on her shoulder. "As long as we're with Rainbow…"

"You stay out of this!" said Gilda, smacking her into Pinkie's arms.

"Hey, hands off! She's my friend!" said Rainbow.

"And who am I, Dash?! Obviously, I'm not a friend anymore," said Gilda. "All those years I was worried about you! Three damn years, and it only took a few months for you to forget me and be with her!"

"Gilda, that's not true, I swear!" said Rainbow.

"Stop lying, Dash! Face the facts, you're a superhero now," said Gilda. "With your powers, what use do you have for me?!"

"Gilda, what happened to you? You're breaking my heart here!" said Rainbow.

"I'm glad, Dash! I've been feeling that for the last three years!" said Gilda. "I'm not gonna waste any more time in this worthless Podunk. Time to choose, Dash! Risk your life fighting monsters, or come back and hang in the snow again!"

"Wait. Choose?" asked Rainbow. Then she remembered something else Soarin said at the end of the tournament three years ago.

"Okay Soarin!" she remembered saying. "From now on, I'll choose what my heart wants me to, because it's the right choice to make."

"Not necessarily, Rainbow," said Soarin.

"What do you mean?" asked Rainbow.

"Choices aren't right and wrong," said Soarin. "They're only choices. There will be times when you make a great choice for yourself that's only gonna disappoint others," Then he pulled her close and ruffled her hair. "Someday, you might make a decision that makes you happy and sad at the same time. I just hope you'll stay strong when it comes to making that choice, my little Pegasus…" Then the flashback faded, and Rainbow was still thinking.

"What should I do, Soarin?" she thought.

"Choose, Dash!" yelled Gilda. Rainbow took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, Gilda," she said. "But I can't abandon them. You can't ask me to destroy the friendships I've built in this city."

"This can't be happening," thought Gilda. "That guy was right." Rainbow looked away guilty. "I traveled halfway around the world," said Gilda. "I suffered day and night trying to find a way to come here, but knowing you'd give me the strength to go on… I'd go through hell and back if it meant helping you. You can't just abandon me. But you're right about one thing; one of us isn't being a good friend."

"Gilda… Please…" said Rainbow.

"So long, Rainbow," said Gilda. "Stay with your friends." Then she turned on her heel and ran.

"Gilda, wait! Don't leave me…" called Rainbow sadly. Back at Applejack's house, Twilight was still processing.

"What do you mean, convenience?" asked Twilight.

"A friend ain't important if they don't have something to offer," said Applejack. "Something you're actually looking for."

"You mean common interests?" asked Twilight.

"That's right, Twilight," said the cowgirl. "People are only lookin' for friends for selfish reasons." Twilight thought about these next few comments, considering how they worked with her own friends. "Either because they're just different and don't wanna be excluded, desperately seeking others because they're afraid of being alone, being a coward in need of someone to protect them from their fears, or the childish desire to brag about their achievements to somebody. These days, people only think about others before they think about themselves."

"You're wrong, Applejack," said Twilight. "I always think of others first.

"Twilight, you more than anybody are the prime example of what I've been saying," said Applejack, pointing to her hand. "If it weren't for that jewel you brought me, you wouldn't have even considered becoming my friend. You're only interested in me to become part of this stupid crusade to stop Discord and his monsters."

"That's not true," said Twilight getting defensive. "I _want_ to be your friend. So do the others."

"Others? Surely you accepted them because the jewels acted as a compass," said Applejack. "Admit it. You don't even care about them. You only united them in a fool-hardy quest for magic and more power."

"I-" Twilight began, but then she remembered the various moments before the others were awakened when she tried to avoid them or was shocked at their being the Bearers.

"She's right," said Twilight. "I just brought them together for my own power."

"Aside from all I've said," said Applejack. "Myself? I don't want anything to do with this war of yours. If this Discord thing is about to show up, what makes you think six girls can have the power to beat down a god? If that's really gonna happen, I'd prefer to spend my last time on earth with my folks, not die at the side of people who don't even mean anything to me."

"You really believe that?" asked Twilight. She didn't have to answer as the gem in Twilight's hand shimmered. "Your Jewel shines. You speak the truth." At last, she relented. "Very well, Applejack. I won't bother you anymore. But I just want you to know something. We could've been the best friends you've ever had."

"But I don't, Twilight," said Applejack. "I don't." Twilight just turned away and started to sob.

"If uh… If you ever change your mind, your brother will know where to find me," she said and left.

Today was the day the Bearers learned that although Friendship is Magic, that doesn't mean it's easy. Rainbow Dash learned in the hardest way imaginable that not every choice will make you feel good. But what stuck in her heart the most was not realizing in time, what was happening in her oldest friend Gilda.

And Twilight Sparkle learned that there are people in this world who have lost their willingness to make friends and that the more you try, the more they'll retreat into their impenetrable sphere of solitude.

And after the sun went down that evening, Gilda learned something too.

"Why did she choose them?" she asked Christopher. "After all we've been through…"

"Are you seriously still asking yourself that?" asked Christopher.

"You!" said Gilda getting up. "It's your fault she left me!"

"I warned you that coming to this city would cause great disappointment; it's not my fault that she's taken the most obvious choice," said Christopher.

"I just wanted to take care of her," said Gilda as she dried her eyes.

"And because we've stopped lying, Gilda, you showed today what really made you suffer, and it's not being powerless," said Christopher.

"What are you talking about?" asked Gilda.

"Your true anger lies in not having the power they do," said Christopher, obviously psychoanalyzing her. "It's your anxiety, your insatiable thirst to be the strongest of them all."

"You're wrong! I'm not like that!" she growled, looking away.

"Gilda, power-hunger isn't a bad thing. Repressing it is," said Christopher.

"Okay fine, so I do want more power, but who cares?!" asked Gilda. "I'm never gonna be like them."

"Again, you are mistaken," said Christopher. "What would you say if I told you I could give you the power you're looking for, the strength to rival theirs, and maybe even surpass it."

"I'd say I was interested," said Gilda, looking back at him and crossing her arms. "But then I'd ask what the catch is."

Christopher chuckled. "You've heard of a lot of these sorts of situations, haven't you?" he asked. "Alright, here's the catch. I'm forming a team. A team to combat the Forces of Harmony, and I think you'd be a perfect addition to it."

"Be… as strong as them…" said Gilda, her power-lust taking over. "How?"

"With this stone," said Christopher, pulling out a small yellow stone that looked like a gold ingot. "Like them, once you embrace it, you'll awaken your hidden potential, my hungry griffon." Gilda reached for it, but Christopher pulled it away. "I only ask one thing of you, my little friend. Obey me. In everything, I ask of you. Without question. Promise me that, and I will give you your power. What you do with it? Well, that's up to you."

"I just want to take care of Rainbow," said Gilda. Christopher held her chin and looked at her closer.

"I know," he said and his eyes started glowing green. "But sometimes to take care of a friend in danger, it's necessary to clip her wings and lock her in a cage. Figuratively, of course. That way, no one can hurt her, including herself." Gilda closed her eyes and reached for the gem.

"I accept," she said as she grabbed it, and felt its power rushing through her. "I want that power… to take care of Rainbow…" Then the power of the gem took over and her eyes shot open, glowing gold. "And get my revenge on Fluttershy and her friends!"

"Good girl, Gilda," said Christopher. "Now, come. So much to do… So little time…"

 **To Be Continued…**


	29. Chapter 8 part 1

**Chapter 8 part 1**

It had been a week since the hydra attack on the beach, and since then, the Bearers have not fared well. Aside from school, Rainbow hasn't left her home for days, and she clearly displayed the concerns the standoff with Gilda caused her. Unfortunately, she wasn't the only one having trouble. Twilight's discussion with Applejack had sent her into a deep depression as well.

Because of this, the Bearers became a bit disconnected from each other. They couldn't face the Discord Monsters together the way they used to before, and they were nearly beaten on more than one occasion. Because of this, Rarity suggested everybody take a break to clear their heads of all their problems. To that end, she took advantage of the fact that there was an amusement park in the forest near the city and decided everyone head over there to just hang out. When Spike and Twilight arrived, the young boy was really excited to see Rarity again, but Twilight was still depressed. Then Pinkie ran over.

"Hey guys!" she called.

"What's up, Pinkie?" said Spike as the two fist-bumped. Then Pinkie noticed Twilight.

"Sheesh, what'd I do, sleep with you or something?" she asked. "Why won't you greet me?"

 **Sonic Prime: *channels JonTron* I have several questions.**

Then Spike pulled her down to whisper something to her. "She can't stop thinking about what happened with Applejack. It's really starting to scare me," he said.

"Oh, don't worry buddy," said Pinkie. "I'll cheer her up in no time." Then she slinked up behind Twilight, and gave her a huge slobbery Hickie, making Twilight freak out and punch her in the face.

"I thought I told you not to do that!" yelled Twilight, rubbing her neck. Then Fluttershy walked over wearing a white sundress.

"Hello Spike," she said waving shyly.

"Hey Fluttershy," said Spike. "Man, you look good in that dress."

"Y… You think so?" she blushed. "Thanks, Spike. You look good too." Spike smiled, but Rainbow, who had just walked up, just rolled her eyes.

"Hey, quit lookin' at her like that, perverted dwarf," she said. Spike growled in angst.

"That irritating voice again," he said. "It was starting to feel weird that you hadn't shown up 'til now, multicolored boy." This ticked Rainbow off to no end.

"I told you I'm not a guy, shrimp!" she yelled, pulling on his face.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," said Spike. Rainbow just walked away and made a cutting remark as Spike slipped up to Fluttershy.

"Hey, how's she doing?" he whispered. "Isn't she still insanely depressed?"

"Actually…" she began.

"You know I can still hear you, right?" asked Rainbow, still angry. The two gave a nervous chuckle and quickly apologized, but then Rainbow just sighed. "But I gotta admit, it's affected me a lot since she left, more than you can imagine…" But then she smiled again. "But you know, carpe diem and all that." Then she chuckled again.

"God, you are so bipolar, dude," said Spike, ticking Rainbow off again.

"For the last time, I'm a girl!" she yelled, yanking on his arms like she was ready to rip them off. Fluttershy and the others gave a nervous and scared chuckle before Twilight and Pinkie moved to try and get Rainbow off Spike. Fluttershy just watched her old friend in concern.

"Rainbow, I've known you for most of my life," she thought. "I know you haven't recovered from Gilda yet. But you always try to display an enviable outer strength. Although, I just wish you'd let out your emotions sometimes, especially when you're with your friends. You don't have to bury your pride then." Just then, Rarity appeared.

"Good afternoon, all," she said. "Apologies for being late."

"Rarity!" yelled Spike as he extricated himself from Rainbow's lock and ran toward her. "Wow! You look amazing today!" Just then, his path was blocked by a little girl about his age with green eyes and lavender hair.

"Hi, there!" she said.

"Whoa!" said Spike as he stopped. "Who are you supposed to be?"

"Oh, of course, you haven't met yet, have you?" asked Rarity. "Everyone, this is my ten-year-old sister, Sweetie Belle."

"A pleasure to meet you," said Sweetie Belle.

"Hello, cutie!" said Pinkie.

"Well, unless I'm mistaken, I do believe that's everyone," said Rarity, gesturing to the park gates. "Shall we?"

"Let's," said Twilight and everyone walked in, with Spike following Rarity a little too close, with a lovestruck look in his eye.

"Hmm…" thought Sweetie Belle as she watched him ogle her sister. "I thought so." Once inside, she walked closer to him. "You're Spike, aren't you?" she asked.

"Huh?" he asked. "Yeah, that's me, but how do you know?"

"My sister," she said. "She's always telling me how wonderful you are."

"She said that about me?!" he asked excitedly before he went over the moon in happiness. "This is the best day of my life…"

"Oh, this is so easy, it's not even fair," thought Sweetie.

"You wanna see a photo of her?" she asked.

"What?! A photo of Rarity?" he asked happily before his admittedly weak sense of morality hit him in the face. "Wait a sec. Does she let you give out stuff like that?"

"Don't exaggerate," said Sweetie. "Besides, I don't think it'll bug her if a friend has a photo she took of their last beach trip."

"A picture of her on the beach?!" he asked amazed. Quickly, Sweetie slapped her hand onto his mouth and dragged him away.

"Could you have possibly said that any louder?" she asked.

"Sorry," said Spike quietly. "A…And she wore a bikini?"

"Doy. And I gotta admit, the white of it really brought out her eyes," said Sweetie. Spike's nose started bleeding as his eyes rolled back in his skull.

"My precious jewel," he thought. "She must've looked like a mermaid…"

"Okay kid, I want that photo!" he said.

"Great! Just give me a dollar and you got a deal," she said.

"A dollar?! Are you seriously charging me for a picture of your sister?" he asked.

"Hey, I'm a girl. I got stuff to buy, okay?" she asked. "But hey, if you don't want it, that's up to you. I could always tell Rarity you wanted it."

"No-no-no, wait!" he said. "Just give me a minute, okay?" Then he quickly ran over to Twilight and grabbed her by the arm. "Twilight, can I have a dollar, please?"

"What? Didn't Dad give you money for the games?" she asked.

"Please? I'll clean your room for a week, promise!" he said.

"Seriously? Deal," said Twilight, handing him a dollar.

"Thanks, big sister, you're the best!" he said and zipped back to Sweetie Belle. "Okay, is that enough for you?"

"Yeah, here's the photo, now gimme," said Sweetie handing him a photo as she took the dollar.

"I'm gonna frame this baby…" he thought, but then he saw something. "Wait a second, you tricked me! I can't see Rarity at all in this picture."

"Slanderous," said Sweetie. "Who do you think I am? You said you wanted a photo of Rarity, right?"

"Yeah, but I can't see her anywhere!" said Spike, showing her a picture of a beach, but no Rarity.

"You idiot!" said Sweetie. "I said I'd give you a photo that _belongs_ to Rarity. I never said she'd be _in_ the photo. That's gonna run you more than a dollar." Spike froze, utterly stupefied as to what had just happened. "Sorry, no refunds or returns accepted. Ciao." Then she skipped away.

 **Sonic Prime: Oh damn Sweetie Belle, you are good!**

 **Deadpool: I'm just surprised she didn't make the price-tag higher than one buck. If it were me, I'd have made it something a little more…**

 **Sonic Prime: Suggestive?**

 **Deadpool: I was gonna say fun, but yeah, let's go with that.**

 **Sonic Prime: She's ten, Wade.**

 **Deadpool: Point?**

 **Sonic Prime: TONY! Get this guy the fuck outta here!**

 **Iron Man: I got this. *grabs Deadpool's arm* Cmon Wade, back to jail. *drags him out and flies away***

 **Sonic Prime: Thank you. Now then, where were we?**

Then Rainbow walked past with Fluttershy close-by and a smirk on her face. "I love watching you suffer, dwarf," she said and let out a cruel giggle. Back with the others, Pinkie was still concerned about Twilight.

"Hey Rarity," she said. "Does Twilight seem a little down to you?"

"I can handle this," said Rarity as she walked up to her. "You're still thinking about what Applejack said, aren't you?"

"I didn't think I would be _that_ affected by her words, but…" she said. "I just can't understand why someone would consider friendship just for the sake of convenience."

"Well, when you think about it, she's kinda right," said Pinkie. "Friendship always _begins_ with convenience."

"Do you really think that too?" asked Twilight.

"My dear, think about this," said Rarity. "At the beginning, you always get to know someone because of personal interest. In this world we live in, it's difficult to get to know somebody and have the confidence to help them when it's actually that you just choose who you think is most appropriate."

"Then Applejack _was_ right," said Twilight. "We only look for those that suit us best and just discard the rest."

"Don't think about it like that, Twilight," said Pinkie. "Friendship is harder than you think. But if you at first let yourself be guided by two simple words, it might be easier to understand and maintain."

"What words?" asked Twilight.

"'Respect' and 'happiness'," said Pinkie. "Respect their tastes, beliefs, flaws, stuff like that, just like they respect yours. And always make them happy, but in a way that won't offend them, yourself or others."

"Do you really think that's enough to start a friendship?" asked Twilight.

"Of course it is," said Pinkie.

"I agree," said Rarity. "Just look at Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, for example. Their personalities and tastes are as different as night and day, but for, what three years now, their friendship continues to shine as bright as the sun. And that's because they've always respected each other. Perhaps at the beginning, they were only together for personal interests, but after all that time, said interests changed and now their goal is just to see each other happy. And all that has made their connection into more than a friendship."

"What then?" asked Twilight.

"A sisterhood, my dear," said Rarity. "They're more than friends now. They're sisters. Once, I believe I even saw them seal a blood-pact at school."

Pinkie gave a chuckle. "I thought they were engaged." she joked.

"Do you think we might be anything like them?" asked Twilight.

"It's something we're going to have to try very hard to copy," said Rarity. "But you must understand that like everything else in life, it's going to take time. We must be well aware that at some times we'll be able to argue amongst ourselves, perhaps even distance ourselves from each other, but it's in those moments that our friendship will be put to the test. But we always have to remember that we were friends in another world as well, and that fate has brought us back together. This shows that neither time nor space was able to break the bond we share."

"But Rarity, our current friendship was only founded on the Jewels of Harmony bringing us together and our destiny to stop Discord," said Twilight. "It's not because of us."

"Then let us thank the Jewels by restoring our friendship," said Rarity before she gave a chuckle. "And ours' and Discord's date with destiny for giving us a reason to fight."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," said Twilight. "But still, what are we gonna do about Applejack?"

"Let's just give her some time," said Rarity. "For some people, it's more difficult to accept friendship. But I feel it in my heart that she'll be with us sooner or later."

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense," said Twilight, then she let out a relieved breath. "Man, I feel so much better talking to you like that. Thanks, girls."

"Don't mention it," said Rarity. "Now lift your spirits. It's not fair to the young ones to see us all depressed at a day at the fair, now is it?"

"No, I guess not," said Twilight. "Let's go."

"Great! Time for fun!" said Pinkie.

"Race ya there!" said Rainbow as she ran past them.

"Oh, it's on!" said Twilight as they all chased after her, laughing.


	30. Chapter 8 part 2

**Chapter 8 part 2**

And so the group started their day of fun at the Faire. After a while, four of them found themselves in the bumper cars.

"I got you in my sights, dwarf," thought Rainbow.

"You're gonna see stars, crazy girls," thought Spike and they charged each other, but then out of nowhere, Pinkie and Sweetie Belle showed up and knocked them silly. Later, over on a roller coaster, the team was having some hassles.

"Come on, Fluttershy!" said Pinkie, trying to pull her onto the coaster. "Don't be such a Debby Downer!"

"I don't want to!" she whimpered. "I hate heights!"

"Kind of ironic seeing as how you were a Pegasus in your other life, but whatever," said Pinkie. "Don't worry about it! This bad boy's air-powered, so you climb as fast as you fall!"

"But I'm ashamed. I'm wearing a dress," said Fluttershy.

"You'll be fine," said Pinkie. "Worst case scenario, you show your underwear."

"That's exactly why I don't want to go on that ride!" yelled Fluttershy.

"Oh cmon, it's gonna be fun!" said Pinkie. Meanwhile, the shorter of the group were having their own problems.

"What?! Why can't we ride?" asked Spike.

"Sorry kids, but you two are still too young for this coaster," said the guy at the height requirement board.

"No fair, old man," said Sweetie.

"Such a shame for you, Spike," said Rainbow as she walked past… straight into the guy's hand.

"Sorry kid, you can't ride either," he said.

"There must be some mistake, pal," said Rainbow proudly. "I'm thirteen."

"Be that as it may, you're still too short," said the guy.

"WHAT?!" she asked, prompting Spike and Sweetie to giggle cruelly. A few minutes later, Pinkie had finally gotten Fluttershy on the coaster (under duress) and the other three were on a bench nearby.

"Rainbow! Get me out of here!" yelled Fluttershy.

"This is just so not cool," said Rainbow. "I'm freakin' thirteen."

"Don't worry, Rainbow! I'll scream triple for you guys!" yelled Pinkie. Then the coaster shot away.

"I hope she just flies overboard when that thing turns," said Rainbow.

"Agreed," said the others. Even later, they were off the coaster and Fluttershy was turning green.

"Going… to vomit…" she groaned as she leaned against Rainbow.

"Deep breaths, bud," said Rainbow trying to comfort her.

"Whoo! Well, that was fun," said Rarity, adjusting her hair. "So where to now?" Then Sweetie saw something.

"Rarity, look! What a pretty unicorn! I want it!" she said. Rarity looked and saw a stuffed white unicorn on a stand that actually looked a lot like her.

"But Belle, the only way I could get it for you is if I win it, and you know I'm not good at these games," said Rarity.

Pinkie just started laughing. "Hey Rarity, look! It looks just like you! Same hair color, same size boobs…"

"Those are its front legs, you idiot!" said Rarity, covering her chest angrily.

"Oops!" Pinkie sweatdropped. "You're right. Sorry." Then she looked Rarity over again. "Still kinda looks like you."

"Shut up!" said Rarity.

"Spike!" said Sweetie, laying her head on his shoulder. "Please win that plushie for me!"

"If you think I'm winning that thing for you after that scam you pulled on me, you got another thing comin, baby," said Spike.

"If you do, I'll give you one of Rarity's photos," she said manipulatively.

"Yeah right, like I'm gonna fall for that trick again," he said.

"It'll be one with Rarity in it this time. And yes, she's on the beach," said Sweetie.

"Seriously? You're not pulling my leg again, are you?" he asked.

"If I am lying, I'll be your servant for a week," she said. "Deal?"

"Deal," said Spike, slapping a dollar on the counter.

"Forget about it, dwarf," said Rainbow. "A hole that small? I bet you don't even know how to _load_ a slingshot."

"Don't be so sure, Rainbow," said Twilight. "My little brother's pretty good with a slingshot."

"Yeah well, my dad's from Missouri, the "Show-Me" State, so y'know, seeing is believing," said Rainbow. Then a tennis ball shot straight into her mouth, shocking her and Twilight.

"See that, boy?" smirked Spike. "I can put it in a hole." Rainbow spat out the tennis ball and shot toward him, but Twilight held her back.

"Damned midget! Nobody mocks me!" she growled.

"Look, just shut up and watch me win, 'kay?" smirked Spike, drawing another ball in the slingshot.

"Go for it, Spike! Win it for that one important person!" said Sweetie.

"Yeah," said Spike lovestruck. "Win for Rarity."

"I meant me, dingus," said Sweetie unamused.

"You got this, Spike!" said Twilight.

"Cmon, baby! Make it for that photo!" said Spike.

"'Photo'?" asked Rarity, confused. Spike let the slingshot loose and the ball made it straight into the hole, ringing the bell.

"Are you kidding me?!" asked Rainbow.

"Boo-yah! I knew I'd do it!" he said. Then Sweetie shot over and grabbed him in a hug shrieking in happiness.

"Spike, you're amazing!" she said.

"Ok, ok, enough with the hugs. Just gimme the photo," said Spike, prying her off.

"What photo?" asked Rarity.

"Nothing!" said Spike quickly. Then the girl running the stall handed the stuffed unicorn to Sweetie Belle.

"Congratulations cutie," she said. "Here's the gift your boyfriend won you." Sweetie laughed.

"He's not actually my boyfriend. More of a slave," she said.

"I'm jealous," said Fluttershy. "I wanted something too."

"Don't worry about it, Fluttershy," said Rainbow. "I'll get you one. If that dwarf could pull it off, it'll be a snap for a monster-busting baddy like me." Unfortunately, ten attempts later, she still hadn't made it in and was shocked.

"Wow, your aim sucks," said Spike. Rainbow just kept right on trying and Fluttershy let the others go elsewhere, as this was going to take a while.

"Well, what's the hold-up? Where's the picture?" asked Spike.

"Not here, Rarity'll see it and then she'll kill me," said Sweetie. "I'll give it to you later."

Twilight smiled at her little brother. "Aw, look at those two," she said. "Hey Rarity, do you think they'd make a good couple?"

"Who, Spike and Sweetie?" asked Rarity. Twilight nodded and Rarity thought about it. "Hmmm… No, I don't see it."

"Hey guys, check it out!" said Pinkie over near a tent. "Let's hang out and watch the show."

"What show?" asked Rarity. Twilight walked over and saw a sign, which she then read.

"'Come and see the Amazing Trixie Lulamoon, the world's youngest magician'," she read. "Hmm. Sounds fun."

"Oh cool, a magic show! Let's go see it!" said Spike.

"Dummy," said Sweetie. "Magic isn't real! It's all just cheap tricks and illusions."

Spike chuckled. "If only you knew about the things I've seen my sister do," he said.

"Beg pardon?" asked Sweetie.

"Quiet!" said Twilight, conking him on the head. Then Pinkie leaned back and groaned.

"Let's get inside, I need to rest my tootsies," she said.

"Come along then, Twilight," said Rarity. "I say we see if this girl is as amazing as her poster says."

"Hmmm… Alright. If we all agree to it," said Twilight. Sweetie was just about to walk in when Spike blocked her.

"Hey! What's the deal?" she asked.

"Uh, Spike?" asked Twilight.

"We'll follow in a minute," he said. Twilight shrugged and went into the tent. "Stop trying to avoid it, girl. Either gimme the photo or I'm taking the plushie I won."

"Would you seriously think of taking it away from a sweet innocent girl like me?" she asked.

"Of course I would!" said Spike. "Also, plushies? I never took you as that kind of girl."

"I'm not," she said.

"Then why'd you demand I win it for you?" asked Spike.

"So I can sell it for three times as much as it took to win it," said Sweetie.

"After I worked so hard to win it? You are an evil, evil girl," said Spike.

"And yet, I'm strangely okay with that," said Sweetie. "Besides, you won it on your first try. But don't change the subject. Now, you want the picture or not?"

"Yes! Of course, I do!" said Spike.

"Okay fine, you won it, it's all yours," said Sweetie, handing him another photo.

"Finally! A beach photo of Rarity!" said Spike looking at it, but then he stopped and glared at Sweetie over the top of it. "Wait… What is this?"

"A picture of Rarity at the beach. Like I promised," said Sweetie.

"No, this is just a little girl playing in the sand," said Spike, showing her a picture of a little girl with purple hair playing at the beach.

"Yeah, that's Rarity in her bathing suit when she was four," said Sweetie. "I found it in a box in our pantry labeled 'VHS Tapes'. Go fig, huh? She looks really sweet though, doesn't she?" Spike froze, once again utterly stupefied as to what just happened. "And technically, I didn't lie so I don't have to be your servant. Anyway, I'll save you a seat next to me at the magic show." Then she skipped into the tent leaving Spike shocked.

"I can't believe she actually pulled that on me again," he said.

 **Literally, everyone in the box: *burst out laughing***

 **Tucker: Oh sweet Christ! How could you fall for the same trick twice, Spike?!**

 **Sonic Prime: Oh my God, that was hilarious!**

 **Everyone: *calms down***

 **Sonic Prime: Okay. Okay. Okay, let's get on with it, shall we?**

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the park, the owners Flim and Flam; twin brothers, were talking about their success.

"I never imagined we'd rake in so much cash coming to this town," said Flam. "With everything we've got, we could probably buy our own farm."

"Or a pawn shop…" said Flim. Just then, someone knocked on the door to their trailer.

"It's open, come in!" said Flam. Then into the trailer walked Christopher in a black and green suit.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen," he said.

"Ah, Chris, good to see ya," said Flam.

"Thanks again for that small million-dollar loan you gave us," said Flim shaking his hand. "And for telling us to pull up in this town. We promise to return everything we borrowed."

"You can keep the money, I don't really need/care about it," said Christopher. "I have more of a preference for favors."

"Do you need something from us?" asked Flam. "It seems rare that the director of a company like Chrysalis Technologies would come ask for a favor from minor entrepreneurs like my brother and me."

"Well, there are some things in life that money can't buy, you dig?" asked Christopher.

"Then what exactly do you want from us, Chris?" asked Flim.

"A young woman," said Christopher. "She lent her services to you a few years ago. I'd like to hire her."

"Could you be more specific about the woman you want?" asked Flim. "You do know we have a lot of women working for us."

"I'm referring, of course, to the daughter of the deceased Lulamoon magicians," said Christopher.

"Trixie?" asked Flam confused. "She's just a magician, not a tech-genius. What do you want with her?"

"Well Flam, sometimes one's potential is measured beyond academic history," said Christopher. The two brothers locked eyes for a second before they came to a silent consensus.

"Sorry Chris, but Trixie's been with us since we found her on the streets when she was six," said Flam. "No matter how much money you throw around, we won't give her up."

Christopher just chuckled. "My friends, it would appear you don't understand the situation," he said as a warped horn necklace levitated out from under his shirt. "I haven't come here to request your permission to take her. I've just come to take her, period. And you will both help in getting her to come to me. With or without your consent." Then he opened his eyes which were glowing green. "Dealer's choice!" Then his necklace started glowing green, making the two brothers scream.

Back at the magic show, the group looked around and was surprised to see the tent practically empty.

"Sheesh, it's almost like we're the only ones here," said Twilight.

"It doesn't seem like this magician is very popular," said Rarity. Then the announcer came on over the microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" he said. "It is our pleasure to introduce to you, the great, amazing and powerful magician of the Flim-Flam Brothers Amusement Park!" Then a young-seeming form walked onto the stage covered in a hat and cloak, speckled with stars and crescent moons. "The daughter of the famous husband-and-wife magic team known as the Lulamoons. At only fifteen years of age, I present to you!" Then the person on stage threw open the cape and pulled off the hat to reveal a young girl in a leotard with slate-pale hair and purple eyes. "Trixie, the world's youngest professional magician!" Twilight was amazed to see hear that Trixie was only 15, but the magician just smirked down at her.


	31. Chapter 8 part 3

**Chapter 8 part 3**

"Ladies and gentlemen," said Trixie. "You have decided to enter the mysterious and wonderful world of magic. Good choice, as together with your host, Trixie; the most powerful, beautiful and exceptional magician of all time…"

"Why is she speaking in the third person?" asked Rarity.

"She must be totally crazy," said Pinkie.

"Oh hi Kettle, meet Pot," said Twilight sarcastically.

"Soon you shall see things you will never forget," said Trixie. "Now prepare yourselves…"

"God, just do magic already!" someone called from the back.

"If boring us is your first trick, you're doing a great job!" called someone else and the two laughed. Trixie gave them a glare, then cleared her throat and went back to her introduction.

"So be it!" she said. "Get ready to travel to the realm of magic!" And so, she began to present an array of tricks, amazing the people and especially the younger ones. Later…

"And now for my finale," said Trixie. "I'll show you my greatest trick; how to vanish before your very eyes!" Then a young boy with green hair walked out onto the stage. "My young assistant, Snails here, will assist me with this trick." Then Snails stepped into a large box, which Trixie locked with a key she then placed on the top. "As you can see, this box is completely sealed, locking my assistant inside, but in just a few seconds, he shall appear on this stage in my steam before your very eyes!"

"Oh!" thought Twilight. "This could be interesting."

"On my count of three…" said Trixie, holding up her hand. "1… 2… 3!" Then she threw down a smoke bomb and when the smoke dissipated, Snails was in her place.

"Whoa! That was awesome!" said Spike.

"But where's Trixie?" asked Twilight. Snails unlocked the box and Trixie jumped up out of it. She landed perfectly and bowed to the cheering crowd.

"The applause, the cheers of support, the euphoria after a successful trick," Trixie thought. "This is what I live for."

"Hey Trixie, aren't you gonna do that contest you love to do after the show?" asked Snails.

"I don't think that will be necessary tonight, Snails," she said. "The people love me!"

"But they could love you even more, knowing how tough each trick is," said Snails. "And you'll show that you're a good person who rewards people coming to see your show."

"Hmm… Fair point, old friend," said Trixie thoughtfully. "Ah, what the hell? Ladies and gentlemen, your attention please?" Then everyone quieted down. "After each of my shows, I like to reward a group who has come to see my show with a brief contest?"

"A contest?" asked Pinkie.

"Of what sort?" asked Rarity.

"I'm glad you asked," said Trixie. "This contest consists of three tricks from my show you yourself will perform. If you succeed at all three, the money you and your friends spent on tickets for my show will be refunded in entirety."

"WHAT?!" asked everyone.

"Twilight, you've gotta do this!" said Pinkie.

"Forget it, Pinkie," said Twilight. "I'm not doing it."

"But with your power, it'll be as easy as eating chocolate!" said Pinkie.

"No, Pinkie," said Twilight. "Don't you remember what my sister said? Our powers are only to be used when confronting Monsters of Discord, not showing off in public. I'm not going on that stage, and that is final." The challenge stood for hours, but no one managed to replicate Trixie's tricks.

"Well, it would appear no one can win against the Great and Powerful Trixie," she said. "Is no one else willing to try their luck?" Pinkie looked about ready to burst.

"Pinkie, please don't say anything," said Twilight.

"I can't resist," said Pinkie.

"I'll buy you ice cream, I'll make you a cake, we'll have a sleepover," said Twilight. "I'll go to that party you invited me to on Friday, just please be quiet!"

At last, Pinkie broke and she grabbed Twilight. "I can't help it! My friend is a magician!" she said.

"Is she now?" asked Trixie. Twilight pinched Pinkie's mouth closed in angst and looked back to the stage.

"Ignore her, she's just talking nonsense!" she said.

"Oh come on, little girl," said Trixie. "It's just a little game. It's not like I'm going to try and cut you in half or anything. Even I'm not crazy enough to attempt a trick like that."

"I've got a bad feeling about this," said Twilight to herself.

"Darling, why won't you do it?" asked Rarity. "It will help you level up."

"It's not that, Rarity," said Twilight. "You know we can't use our powers for trivial things."

"Have you forgotten what your sister said?" asked Rarity. "Out of all of us, your natural connection to your element is weakest. What better way to strengthen it than performing in a magic show? Besides, Celeste sent you that braid with your horn, so you can use magic without giving us away."

"Spike, does your sister really do magic?" asked Sweetie.

"Something like that," said Spike. Twilight felt like punching herself.

"I forgot all about that braid," she said. "Ah, what the heck. I'm in!" Then she walked up to the stage.

"Nice to see there's a woman with enough vigor in them to participate," said Trixie. "Just for the record, state your name and age."

"My name is Twilight Sparkle and I am fourteen years old," she said.

"14!" said Trixie and laughed. "Can you believe this, folks? If she manages to beat me, the world will have a new youngest magician."

"Oh yeah, I didn't think about that," said Twilight. "You sure about this? I don't wanna take away your title."

"Oh, don't worry. Everyone will still know me as the world's _second_ youngest magician, and I'm fine with that," said Trixie. Twilight shrugged and pulled out her horn, putting it on her head.

"What's with the braid? Is that your magic wand?" asked Trixie.

"Eeeh… Something like that," said Twilight. Then her horn let her see something.

"Whoa. Didn't see that coming," she said. "She's emitting a spiritual aura. But it's so weak, I almost missed it. Perplexing."

"Are you okay?" asked Trixie. "You seem to be hesitating."

"No, it's nothing," said Twilight, blinking a few times. "My eyes were just a little dry. I think I'll start with that handkerchief trick."

"Alright then," said Trixie, handing Twilight a red handkerchief, which Twilight hid in her hand fully. "Let's see if you can match the Great and Powerful Trixie." Twilight reached into her hand and grabbed the handkerchief by the edge.

"Multiplication!" she called and her hand and horn gave off an almost imperceptible glow as she pulled four similar handkerchiefs out of her hand.

"Whoa! Cool!" said Sweetie. Trixie was amazed.

"You actually pulled it off?" she thought. "I mean granted, it's a fairly easy trick, but you did it perfectly!"

"How'd I do?" asked Twilight.

"Eeeh… Yes, you've done well," said Trixie nervously. "I can see you're talented, but don't forget you still have two more tricks to pull off."

"Of course, you're right," said Twilight. "I shouldn't draw so much attention to myself," she thought. "Now I'll do the card trick!" she said.

"You sure about that?" asked Trixie. "It's not as easy as the handkerchiefs."

"I'm sure," said Twilight. "But can we use your cards? I didn't bring mine."

"You know this one, right?" asked Trixie.

"Yeah, you pick a card, sign it and put it randomly back in the deck and it somehow ends up on the top, right?" asked Twilight.

"Exactly. I like your attention to detail," said Trixie.

"My parents always say it's one of my best qualities," said Twilight. "Now then, if you will…" Trixie quickly took a card and pen.

"HA!" she thought. "For this trick, you need to use special cards. How idiotic is she that she hasn't noticed that I'm using the normal ones?"

Then she flipped up the card. "Your card," she said.

"Thank you," said Twilight, before her eyes started slightly glowing. "Man, am I glad I learned this Magic Scan technique…" she thought. "Okay, go ahead and put it away," she said, and Trixie decided to try and trick her by slipping the card under her wristband without her seeing.

"Your cards," she said, handing her the deck. Then Twilight's first two fingers started glowing as she transformed the top card into the one from her memory.

"Is this your card?" she asked, showing Trixie the card.

"Oh, I'm sorry, but no…" Trixie began, but stopped when she saw it actually was the ace of diamonds she signed. "… Freaking way, that _is_ the card!" Everyone clapped and cheered at Twilight's supposed luck.

"Atta girl, Twilight!" yelled Pinkie.

"Alright!" said Spike and Sweetie. "Only one trick left!"

"Sheesh. I feel like I'm cheating," thought Twilight and blushed.

"Hey, Trixie!" said the first heckler from earlier. "Looks like we've got a new youngest magician in the house!"

"Quiet!" said Trixie angrily. "She hasn't won anything yet! She still needs to perform the last trick. But this time, it'll be a trick worthy of a show from the Las Vegas Strip!"

"What?" asked Rarity. "How is that fair?"

"My house, my rules!" said Trixie.

"Fine by me," said Twilight. "Next up, the disappearing trick. But I don't think I'll need the box for this one. Can I use your hat and cape really quick?"

"What? Are you sure?" asked Trixie.

"She can't do it like that," she thought. "You need the secret exit in the stage for that trick." Then Twilight took Trixie's gear and put it on.

"Eyes on me no matter what, folks," said Twilight and winked. "Because I'll disappear right in front of you."

"Wait, no trapdoor _and_ no smoke bomb?" thought Trixie. "She can't be that good!"

"Substitution!" called Twilight, but it looked like nothing happened.

"Ha! Nice try, little girl," said Trixie. But then a hand reached up and took off the hat, but it wasn't Twilight wearing it, it was Pinkie.

"How did I get up here?" she asked.

"Wait, who are you?" asked Trixie shocked.

"Pinkie?" asked Rarity. "You've been sitting next to me the whole time!"

"Oh, she has, has she?" asked Twilight, who had taken Pinkie's seat.

"What the…?! How did you do that?" asked Sweetie Belle amazed.

"Magic, little one, magic," said Twilight and smiled as she walked back up to the stage. "Thanks again for the help, Pinkie."

"I don't know how you did that, but it was awesome!" said Pinkie hugging her friend. The people started laughing at Trixie, prompting her to run away in tears.

"Hey, don't forget! We still get our refund!" said Pinkie.

"Trixie, wait!" said Twilight. "Oh jeez, I think I went too far." she thought.

"Congratulations," said Snails, handing Twilight a ticket. "Show this to the guy out front, and he'll refund you."

"Thanks," she said, accepting the ticket. "I'm sorry about what happened. Is Trixie gonna be okay?"

"She'll be fine. She's a pro," said Snails.

"Whew, good," said Twilight. "And thanks for the prize."

"No, thank you," said Snails. Twilight and Pinkie looked at each other oddly as Snails walked away. Backstage, Christopher put his hand on the boy's head and he opened his eyes to reveal they were glowing green, implying he was under an enchantment.

"Yes Twilight," said Christopher. "Thank you for helping me." Meanwhile, in Trixie's dressing room, she was still crying about the audience mocking her. Then someone knocked.

"Go away!" she said. "I don't want to talk to anyone!"

"It's us, Trixie," said Flim outside. "Open up." Trixie quickly stood and opened the door to see him and Flam.

"Sorry, I didn't know it was you guys," she said.

"We need to talk," said Flam seriously, getting Trixie curious. Elsewhere, the girls met up with Fluttershy and Rainbow.

"Flutters, there you are," said Rarity. "You missed a great show, where were you?"

"We went somewhere else fun," said Fluttershy.

"I see Rainbow finally won you one of those plushies," said Pinkie. And true, Fluttershy was holding a purple dragon with green frills.

"Yes, I picked it out," she said, holding it closer. "Isn't it cute?"

"Told you I could win one, Dwarf," said Rainbow.

"The guy at the booth got bored of you losing and just gave it to you, didn't he?" asked Spike.

"How'd you know?" asked Fluttershy.

"I told you not to tell him!" said Rainbow angrily.

"Sorry," said Fluttershy. Spike gave a conceited chuckle at Rainbow's luck.

"I think it's best if we head home," said Rarity. "It's very late out."

"Yeah, good idea," said Twilight. "Man, today was so much fun."

"Yeah! We should come here again," said Pinkie.

"As good of an idea as that is, Pinkie, the park closes today," said Rarity. "It's going to another city in the morning."

"Well then, how about a concert?" asked Pinkie. "I heard there's this new girl trio opening across town next weekend. I think they were called the Dazz or something like that, but anyway reviews are saying their music is almost literally hypnotizing."

Rainbow just scoffed. "I'm pretty sure it's one of those groups who are only in the gig for the cash from the record companies."

"C'mon Rainbow," said Pinkie. "At least give 'em a chance! I've listened to some of their music, and it freakin' rocks!" And thus ended the day of rest and relaxation for the Bearers of Harmony, leaving everyone quite happy. Well… not everyone, as on the other side of the park…

"You can't be serious!" said Trixie.

"I'm afraid we are, Trixie," said Flim. "It's already been decided."

"But you can't ban me from the park!" said Trixie, still horribly sad. "I've been with you guys for years!"

"Your show isn't raking in the dough it used to," said Flam. "It seems magic doesn't have a place in this new world. Also, whoever doesn't bring us money doesn't work for us."

"On top of all that, you're betting our money on your pride," said Flim as Trixie grabbed his shirt, still crying. "That's something we can no longer tolerate."

"Please forgive me," sobbed Trixie. "I'll do anything you say, I swear, just please don't kick me out! I don't have anywhere else to go! You're the only family I have left!"

"'Family'?" asked Flim in a cruel voice. "You forgot, didn't you Lulamoon? You don't have a family."

"Wh-What?" she asked.

"Don't you get the picture?" asked Flam. "Nobody here really loves you. We all agreed that you don't belong here."

"Everyone?" asked Trixie.

"The whole crew," said Flim. "I swear, finding you in that cabin was the worst mistake of our lives."

"Now pack your bags and get out," said Flam. "And don't you dare show yourself here again. Understand?" Trixie had no idea what to do. Across town at Twilight's apartment, her mother was making dinner while talking to Spike.

"Spike, you did pack your stuff for tomorrow right?" she asked.

"Mom, it's not like I'm not going to Vegas for a week," said Spike honestly. "I'm just going to the city museum with my class. Remember? That's why we were only asked to bring a few things in our backpacks."

"Alright, then go and see if your sister's packed for school tomorrow," said their mother.

"Yep," said Spike walking away. "On it." In her room, Twilight was browsing on her laptop still thinking about Trixie.

"Trixie Lulamoon," she thought to herself. "I could feel how your heart suffered. How important are applause and people's admiration for you? Sure, it felt great to use my magic freely and see the people marvel at my performance, but still…" Just then, Spike walked in.

"Hey Twilight, Mom asked me to see if you're packed for tomorrow," he said.

"Yeah, I'm already good to go," she said.

"What are you doing?" asked Spike, looking at her laptop.

"I was investigating Trixie's family," said Twilight, looking around on the window she was on.

"You mean that magician at the park today?" asked Spike.

"Yeah, check this out," she said. "Apparently, her parents were very well-known in the world of stage magic. Born in Norway, but living and performing in Vegas for many years performing in a lot of casinos."

"So where are they now?" asked Spike.

"According to this blog report from a few years ago, they were killed by a bear," said Twilight.

"A bear?!" asked Spike, actually quite astonished. "What happened?!"

"According to this, the whole family was on a vacation in a cabin in Canada, and a bear wandered down from the mountains and attacked the cabin," said Twilight.

"That's brutal," said Spike. "But then how did Trixie survive?"

"Well according to this, before the Flim-Flam Brothers bought that amusement park, they were traveling tonic salesmen," said Twilight, reading the blog report. "They found the cabin one morning and found the Lulamoons' bodies, so they reported it to the cops. Just before they left, they heard someone crying under the bed, and found Trixie. In the end of it all, they adopted her. She's been with them ever since."

"Poor girl," said Spike. "But I still don't get it, Twilight. Why are you so interested in her?"

"I'm not sure," said Twilight, falling down onto her pillow. "I just have some weird feeling. Have you ever met someone for the first time and immediately gotten the feeling you've known them for years? And you can feel whenever something is happening to them?" Spike remembered what Twilight told him when Rainbow joined the Bearers and when Rarity was almost destroyed by Haze's attack, and he had felt her fear and pain.

"Yeah…" he said. "Yeah, I know what you mean."

"Trixie…" thought Twilight looking out the window. "I hope you're okay…" Unfortunately, hope didn't help her, as out in the forest, Trixie was about to meet someone who would change her life forever.


	32. Chapter 8 part 4

**Chapter 8 part 4**

Out in the woods, Trixie was camping out near a fire with an old picture of her and the Flim-Flam Brothers, still horrifyingly upset about what happened that day.

"How could they treat me like that?" she asked. "I thought they loved me. I've been with them since I was six, and that's the first time I saw real hatred in their eyes. I haven't failed them, have I?"

"No Trixie," said Christopher as he walked over. "They failed you." Trixie was scared at his sudden appearance and dropped the picture in the fire, burning it. Then she turned to him.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"Name's Christopher," he said.

"Wait, I remember you," said Trixie, piecing things together. "I saw you near Flim and Flam's office a couple of times."

"True," he said. "One might be inclined to call us partners, but honestly, I only helped them because of you, Trixie. I've been watching you for a long time now."

"Wait, you've been watching me? Why?" she asked.

"It's your magic," said Christopher. "I've always been fascinated by it."

"Magic," scoffed Trixie. "I don't even deserve it. I learned that in my show tonight."

"Now-now dear, don't be like that," said Christopher. "I wouldn't have been able to do it either when confronted by somebody who can use _real_ magic."

"Wait, what? What are you talking about?" asked Trixie.

"This," said Christopher, creating a green glowing ball between his hands. "Magic is as real as our lives."

"That's impossible," said Trixie, shocked. "This has to be some sort of trick."

"Of course it isn't a trick," said Christopher. "White magic, black magic, spells, invocations, all that stuff you've ever read in those old fables and tales is extracted from real legend."

"Wait, so then that girl that beat me in the show…" said Trixie, starting to piece it together.

"Have patience, Trixie," said Christopher. "All will be revealed in time. Including your connection to that girl you met today; Twilight Sparkle." The forest toiled that night as Christopher turned another innocent soul to the side of dark magic.

The next day, school was as could be expected for Twilight, as Fluttershy saw when she walked over to her.

"Good morning, Twilight," she said jovially.

"Good morning, Fluttershy," said Twilight with a neutral tone.

"Yesterday was really fun, wasn't it?" asked Fluttershy.

"Yeah…" said Twilight looking out the window.

"Are you okay?" asked Fluttershy, concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine, it's just…" said Twilight.

"Applejack?" finished Fluttershy.

"Yeah," said Twilight. "I don't know what we can do to get her to accept us."

"Don't worry about it too much, Twilight," said Fluttershy, trying to keep her spirits up. "If you managed to convince someone as shy as me, or as proud as Rainbow, I know it won't be hard to get Applejack to see us as friends." Twilight wasn't listening; she had blacked out for a second and was remembering what Applejack had said earlier.

"…I'd prefer to spend my last time on earth with my folks, not die at the side of people who don't even mean anything to me…" she had said.

"She'll want to join us," said Fluttershy. "You'll see."

"I hope you're right," said Twilight. At last, the class started.

"Good morning, sunshines," said the teacher.

"Good morning, Ms. Carrot-Top!" they all said.

"Now before we start today, I'd like to introduce a new student of our school," she said.

"New student?" asked Fluttershy, surprised.

"Come on in," said Carrot-Top. And through the door came literally the last person Twilight expected to see.

"Are you kidding me?" she said quietly, blown away.

"Good morning, I'm Trixie Lulamoon," she said. "Glad to meet you all." A few hours later, Twilight and Fluttershy were walking outside school.

"So… you know that girl, Twilight?" asked Fluttershy.

"Yeah, she was that magician we saw at the park yesterday. But I don't get why she's here," said Twilight. "I figured that amusement park she rides with would've left."

"By all accounts, it did," said Fluttershy.

"Then I'm even more confused," said Twilight. Then they ran into Pinkie and Rainbow.

"Hey Twilight," said Rainbow. "You ready to go, Fluttershy?"

"Ready as ever," she replied and they left.

"Where are you going?" asked Twilight.

"We promised to do something together," said Fluttershy. "See you in class." Twilight was confused as they left.

"Those two always eat alone," she said. "What's up with that?"

"Ah, leave 'em be," said Pinkie. "That's what lovers do." Twilight just glared at her neutrally. "While we're on the subject, Twilight, as it's just the two of us now, do you wanna eat together?"

"You didn't bring your own food again, did you?" asked Twilight. Pinkie's growling stomach answered the question for her. "Why don't you just get something from the cafeteria?"

"Are you kidding?" asked Pinkie. "I've heard the meat is punished students." That just prompted Twilight to seem completely disgusted.

"Pinkie, sometimes you genuinely disturb and/or scare me," she said.

 **Sonic Prime: Blech! Ditto, Twilight.**

"Plus, I just really love your mom's cooking," continued Pinkie.

 **Sonic Prime: Well, at least she's got a viable excuse.**

"Okay fine," groaned Twilight. "I'll share my lunch with you."

"And that's why you're my very best friend!" said Pinkie, moving in for a fake kiss.

"Which reminds me, when are you gonna invite me over?" asked Twilight, making Pinkie freeze like a rock.

"What?!" she asked in fear.

"Well, it's just… I always invite you over, and you've already met my parents," said Twilight. "I honestly think it's time you return the favor."

"Eh… Some other time," said Pinkie. "I promise." Then someone walked up.

"Hello Twilight," she said, prompting Twilight to look at her.

"Trixie?" asked Twilight.

"Mind if I sit with you?" she asked. A few minutes later, they were all sitting down for lunch.

"So who are you again?" asked Pinkie absentmindedly.

"Pinkie, don't you remember Trixie?" asked Twilight. "She was at the park yesterday doing a magic show."

Pinkie thought for a minute before she remembered it. "Oh yeah!" she said. "You're the girl Twilight publicly humiliated!" Twilight just cringed in embarrassment and shoved Pinkie's food-tray into her face.

"Pinkie, please just do me a favor and shut up!" she said before turning back to Trixie. "By the way, I've been meaning to ask Trixie; why are you here? Didn't that amusement park you ride with leave yesterday?"

"It did, but I'm not affiliated with them anymore," said Trixie. That surprised both Twilight and Pinkie, who had shut up and started eating at this point.

"Oh man Trixie, I'm sorry," said Twilight. "I hope it wasn't my fault."

"Yeah Twilight," said Pinkie. "You should feel guilty for exaggerating with your tricks." That pissed Twilight off to no end.

"Don't you start!" she growled. "If you had just kept your trap shut, that wouldn't have happened!"

"No-no, don't worry," said Trixie, honestly kind of amused. "It was my call."

"Weird, I thought the guys who owned the place were your family," said Twilight.

"I thought so too," Trixie whispered.

"Sorry, what was that?" asked Twilight, having not heard that last bit.

"Nothing," Trixie said quickly. "Nothing important."

"Well… okay, but do you at least have somewhere to stay?" asked Twilight.

"As luck would have it yes," said Trixie. "I met a young entrepreneur that enjoys my magic and offered me employment and a home."

"Seriously?! Man, you're so lucky," said Twilight happily.

"Yes, although he asked me for one last task before accepting me," said Trixie.

"What task?" asked Twilight, confused.

"Let's just say its something I wanna get done as soon as possible," said Trixie with a strange smirk in her voice.

"You're so lucky you met a friendly millionaire like that," said Pinkie with a blush.

"I swear whenever guys come into the conversation, you always act crazier than usual," said Twilight unamused.

"Well yeah, duh," said Pinkie. "It's cause I like men." But then she grew a sneaky smirk. "Although if I'm desperate, I can always opt for other options…"

"Not even in your dreams, you weirdo," said Twilight flatly.

Trixie gave a kind laugh. "I see you're very good friends,"

"Yeah! We're the best!" said Pinkie, grabbing Twilight in a hug.

"Heh. Good to know," said Trixie. There was something off about how she said that, but Twilight didn't bother asking about it as Trixie got up. "Well! If you'll excuse me, I'd best be off. Classes are starting again soon. I'll see you in the classroom Twilight." With that, she extended a hand to Twilight. "And I hope you'll consider me as a friend."

"Absolutely," smiled Twilight as she accepted the handshake. But once their palms touched, Twilight felt a strange sensation on her hand, almost like a bolt of electricity passed between them. Once Trixie left, she looked at her hand in a sort of questioning manner.

"You okay, Twilight?" asked Pinkie.

"Fine. I just felt my hand getting itchy," said Twilight, gently scratching it.

" _Friends. Ha. A snake can never be friends with a cheating rat,_ " thought Trixie, having stolen some of Twilight's aura through her handshake.

Later on in class, Twilight sat down next to Fluttershy, looking incredibly hungry. "Pinkie ate all your food again, right?" she asked.

"I'm pretty sure I dropped a dress size because of her," groaned Twilight. Once the class started, Fluttershy noticed something in the back.

"Hey look," she whispered. "Trixie still isn't back." Twilight looked and indeed, Trixie's desk was still empty.

" _Weird,_ " she thought. " _Where is she?_ "

In answer to Twilight's question, let's turn to the roof where we find Trixie standing, remembering an explanation Christopher had given her earlier.

"Using magic, there are plenty of ways to take physical and mental control of another being," he had said. "One of the more popular ones is voodoo. But to be able to perfectly manipulate the body of another being, you need more than a piece or a hair of said being. You need a piece of their aura. But to get that, you need to make physical contact…"

" _Thank you for your aura Twilight,_ " she thought as she wove the energy she had snagged from Twilight's hand into a small that looked a lot like her. Once it made contact, Twilight suddenly shivered.

"Are you okay?" asked Fluttershy.

"I'm fine. Just a little cold, I guess," she replied.

"Now for a little test," smirked Trixie, as she tickled the doll with a feather. Twilight felt it right in the middle of a lecture on World War 1 and suddenly burst out laughing.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Sparkle. Is there something funny about the deaths of hundreds to you?" asked Ms. Carrot-Top.

"Uh- No! No, I'm sorry ma'am! I don't know what happened," she quickly replied, embarrassed.

Trixie was just laughing, having managed to make it so that she could hear what was going on through the doll. "Oh man, that's fun!" she said, pulling out a pin. "Now let's see if you can feel pain." With that, she poked the pin into the doll's hindquarters.

"OUCH!" cried Twilight, jumping up from her seat and looking at the girl behind her. "Did you just pinch me?!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" asked the student.

"That's enough of that, Twilight!" said Ms. Carrot-Top. "I've been watching and she hasn't moved once. I don't know what your problem today is, but I don't want any more shenanigans, understood?"

"Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry. I promise it won't happen again," Twilight replied.

" _Twilight…_ " thought Fluttershy in concern.

" _What the hell is happening to me?_ " thought Twilight.

"Well, this has been fun Twilight, but I think it's time I start my plan," said Trixie. "Fractione!" Once she unleashed that incantation, Twilight suddenly felt a powerful jolt shoot through her body.

" _Wha- What's… happening…?_ " she thought, suddenly tired. " _I don't think I've felt like this before in my life…_ "

"Twilight, can I borrow your eraser please?" asked Fluttershy, before getting worried. "Twilight, are you okay? You're soaking wet!"

"Flu… ttershy… I'm… not… well…" That was all Twilight could say before she fainted into Fluttershy's arms and blacked out.

Hours passed before she woke up again. " _Mmm… ugh, my head… What happened to me?_ " Getting up from the bed she was now in, she saw she was in the school infirmary and then remembered everything. "Oh right, I passed out in class. Man, that was so weird. I've never felt like that before." Then she looked around, curious. " _Where are the others? I thought they'd be here when I woke up._ " Then she saw the school nurse, Ms. Redheart asleep nearby and sweatdropped. " _Well, that's professional. She's supposed to be taking care of me and she's sleeping…_ " She decided to ignore it as she grabbed up her clothes and put them on. "Sheesh, how long was I out? Looks like the sun's already setting. Hey miss, wake up. I've gotta go home." But the nurse didn't respond. "Miss Redheart?" Then she noticed a strange blue glow over the nurses head. "The heck? What's with that?" Not stopping to think, she quickly grabbed out her horn-wand and put it on, seeing strange spectral Zs around Ms. Redheart's head. "As I suspected. Someone hit her with a sleep-spell." Then she looked outside the infirmary and saw more glows, which could only mean one thing. Her theory was confirmed upon leaving, as she saw the entire school was under the same spell, even Applejack

" _What could've done this? A monster?_ " She instantly agreed with that thought. " _Must be. Where're my friends?_ "

"Come to the playing field and you'll find out…" said a voice in her head. She was confused but didn't waste any time in getting to the field to find her friends were also under the same spell.

"How is this possible? You should've been protected by your Elements," she said.

"Nice to see you're finally up, Twilight," said the voice again.

Twilight looked next to her and was surprised by who she saw. "Trixie?"

"I was scared I had exceeded my great powers when I knocked you out," she said.

"Wait, that was you?" asked Twilight.

"Did you honestly believe that you're the only one in the world with magic?" Trixie asked with a chuckle. "Now it all makes sense. _That's_ how a total stranger was able to defeat the great Trixie."

"How did you know-"

"That you used real magic?" asked Trixie. "Maybe you should've listened when I said I met somebody who helped me. Who asked me to do something I couldn't refuse… Defeat my nemesis! You! Twilight Sparkle! Bearer of Magic!"

"Wait, who told you I'm a Bearer?" asked Twilight.

"That's irrelevant right now," said Trixie. "What you need to know is that he told me all about you and your friends…"

" _Okay, so she's not working for Luna,_ " thought Twilight. " _Good to know._ "

"He awakened my spiritual power and taught me magic enough to confront you," Trixie continued. "But he also told me about Equestria, what we really are. I have to admit that part was hard to believe. But after experiencing what I can do myself, everything became clear."

"Trixie, whoever this person is, he's just manipulating you to do his dirty work!" said Twilight.

"You're wrong! This is all for myself, to show that I'm better than you!" yelled Trixie.

"That's what this is about? To prove you're better?" asked Twilight. "How does that matter?"

"It matters to me!" yelled Trixie, angry tears falling down her face. "He told me that destiny has always put us against each other and that you've always won! But only because your precious Power of Harmony was helping you! But now, in this world, I've been granted a power to equal, maybe even _eclipse_ yours!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" asked Twilight.

"Why this, of course," said Trixie, pulling out a lanyard with a small brown stone on it.

"That's… a Discord Gem!" said Twilight terrified. "Trixie, you have to get rid of that thing right now! If you don't, Discord will take over your body!"

Trixie just gave an incredulous laugh. "Do you honestly think I'm _that_ simple-minded? I'm strong enough to avoid control from anyone, even this Discord!"

"Trixie please, listen to me…" said Twilight.

"Enough!" yelled Trixie. "And prepare yourself to face me, Twilight Sparkle!"

"No! I won't fight you, you hear me?" she replied.

"As you wish. But if you don't face me, the people in this school will never wake up. And your friends will succumb to oblivion forever." Trixie was becoming a bit sadistic now.

"I'm almost scared to ask what you mean by that," said Twilight.

"I imagine you've seen the field of light they're lying on," said Trixie, referring to the circle of blue light around the girls' heads. "That's the spell Oblivio."

"'Oblivio'?" asked Twilight. "I've never heard of it."

"Of course not. That fool Celestia banned it," said Trixie. "With each passing minute, this spell is moving parts of their memories from their minds and moving them to the field. If my calculations are right, _all_ their memories will have been moved by nightfall, which should only be a few minutes from now."

"But that's impossible," said Twilight. "We're protected from that sort of magic by our Jewels of Harmony."

"You mean these?" asked Trixie, producing a small bag which jingled from the Jewels inside them.

"What?! How did you-?!"

"I faced them all while you were out," explained Trixie. "First I knocked out Pinkie and Fluttershy. "That was a piece of cake since I was a part of their friendship. Next was Rarity. She gave a bit of a struggle, but nothing too difficult for me to overcome. The most difficult by far was that dwarf Rainbow. Her speed and reflexes made our fight a bit difficult, but if life's taught me anything, it's that the most difficult people have the most absurd weaknesses. Once she was grounded, I stole their Jewels and put them in this bag my benefactor gave me last night, made from a special cloth that nullifies magic. But enough about that, let's get to the deal; If you want me to break the spell on everyone here and release your friends and their memories I have one condition; face me in a duel."

" _She's got me in a box,_ " thought Twilight. " _Either I fight and get that jewel back or my friends are lost forever._ "

"Well? What's your answer Twilight?" asked Trixie.

"Ugh! Fine, Trixie. I accept your challenge," said Twilight as she transformed.

"Ooh, well said my eternal rival. Now prepare for the fight of your life!" said Trixie.

" _I can't lose this fight!_ " thought Twilight, glancing around. " _Hang in there, girls. Everyone! I'll save you. I promise._ "


	33. Chapter 8 part 5

**Chapter 8 part 5**

Meanwhile, Big Mac and Apple Bloom had just dropped off Spike near his apartment. "Thanks for the ride, Mac," he said.

"No problem, kid," said Mac.

"Now don't ferget those notes for school tomorrow. I don't wanna flunk because of you," said Apple Bloom.

"Alright, jeez. I heard you the first 49 times," groaned Spike.

"With you? I gotta say it at least fifty more," she smirked.

"Shut up," groaned Spike. Apple Bloom just giggled as Mac gave a strong chuckle.

"Alright Spike, we're outta here. Say hey to yer sister for me," he said.

"You know Twilight?" asked Spike.

"Yeah, she stopped by our house last week," said Mac.

"Wow, you're mean A.B.," said Spike. "As long as we've known each other, you've never invited me to your place, and yet you don't have a problem with inviting my sister?"

"Hey! She invited herself," said Apple Bloom defensively. "And it's not that I don't _want_ to invite you. It's because of my sister; she doesn't like visitors." Then Mac started the truck and started driving away. "Please don't be mad! Ah promise Ah'll invite ya over one of these days. See ya in class tomorrow!"

"Whatever!" said Spike as he began his walk home. " _Sheesh, I'm fried. First order of business once I'm home; get a shower and then straight to bed._ " Then he passed a strange person in a black cloak.

"Child… may I speak with you for a moment?" they asked in an African-accented woman's voice.

"Sorry, but I'm not allowed to talk to strangers," he said as he kept walking.

"Then you should have no problem talking to me, Spike," said the woman, making Spike stop.

"Okay, how do you know my name?" he asked.

"Because the one who told me and sent me to you are the same person; your sister, Celeste," she said.

"Seriously?" asked Spike.

Back at the schoolyard… "Before we begin Twilight, as a token of my appreciation to you, I have a gift."

"What sort of gift?" asked Twilight. Her question was answered when there was a large poof of purple smoke next to her, manifesting as a hat and cloak much like Trixie's. "Seriously?"

"Just as I wear these clothes in my show, I'll be giving you a set at least somewhat identical to mine. So at least you'll look like a true magician…" She gave a cruel laugh.

Twilight just dropped the cape and hat to the ground. "I don't need any of this nonsense. If you want a duel, let's just do it already!" she said.

"You'll regret not accepting a gift from a sorceress," said Trixie.

"Call yourself a sorceress…" scoffed Twilight. "You're just some punk kid who only learned how to use magic last night."

"Very well, Twilight," said Trixie, dropping her hat and pulling a teal horn-wand out from behind her back. "Then allow this 'punk kid' to show you what she can do." Then she shot her wand into the air. "Dueling Field! Restricting Circle!" Then a large magic circle appeared in the ground under her.

"Wait, what?!" asked Twilight. The circle spread out to encompass Twilight. She cringed as if expecting something to happen, but nothing did. Except for a strange triad appearing over her horn. "What did you just do? And what the hell is this thing?"

Trixie just laughed before she answered. "Ever heard of Field Spells?"

"Of course. You're talking about creating specific environments on a battlefield," said Twilight, remembering Celestia's lesson on them the other night. "But only a handful of mages can manifest them."

"Yes… only the best," said Trixie. "We're in a duel now, and they have different rules, which you'll have to abide by if you want to take me down."

"What sorts of new rules?" asked Twilight.

"Allow me to explain," said Trixie. "In this duel, we'll each have a turn in which we'll be able to attack our opponent. Once you cast your attack, the turn will shift to that of the opponent, and so on and so on for the rest of the duel. But the one being attacked is far from helpless; they may use any sorts of defensive or evasive magic. However, you'll be unable to counter your opponent's move. And that's not even the best part. When the attack is successful and hits the opponent, they suffer double damage. If the attacker cannot make their attack connect, however, they receive half the damage they sent instead. Sounds fair, right?"

"Are you kidding me? This is asinine!" said Twilight. "Stop this!"

"I'm afraid neither of us can retreat from this battle," said Trixie. "You equally accepted the challenge and now, thanks to the Restricting circle, neither can leave until one wins."

"Trixie please…" said Twilight.

"Oh and uh, BTDubs, the attacker only has one minute to decide which move to use and who to aim for. It's indicated by that triad above your head," said Trixie, drawing Twilight's attention to it. "And I believe your minute's up." With that, the triad disappeared.

"Oh come on, no fair! You were distracting me!" said Twilight, before she felt a stabbing pain through her mind.

"And when you pass a turn without deciding to attack, you'll also receive a small percentage of damage." Then the triad appeared over Trixie's head. "My turn! Fatuo!" Then a large blue orb appeared in the sky and blasted five magic flame-blasts out at Twilight.

"AAH! Barrier!" she shrieked and quickly blocked the blasts.

" _Shit!_ " thought Trixie as she felt a stabbing pain shoot through her chest. She chuckled weakly as the pain faded. "Well played, Twilight."

"Trixie, please stop this! You're only hurting yourself more!" said Twilight as the triad reappeared over her own head.

"Never! Not until you've paid for what you did to me yesterday!" growled Trixie.

"Look, I'm sorry about what happened- really I am-"

"Well, you damn well should be!" cried Trixie. "While you live happily with your family, I had to rebuild mine after my parents died in that hut. And when I thought I finally found a new family with the Brothers, you came along and made me lose them all over again! Which is why after you've died, your friends will suffer a worse fate. While they will forget they know each other, I'll take you elsewhere on this planet and empty _your_ mind! You'll be like a four-year-old in an unknown world!"

Twilight was honestly scared by the sudden change of things. "Trixie, all this hatred… where is it coming from?" she asked. Then she saw Trixie's eyes turning red as she gave a sadistic laugh. " _Not good. Discord's already starting to affect her mind._ " Then she noticed the triad was fading. " _Sorry about this Trixie, but I'll try to make it quick._ " With that, she shot her hands up. "Stellar Rain!" A storm of stars blasted from her hands and arced down to Trixie.

"Barrier!" she yelled and a large blue shield made up of four triangles appeared and deflected the stars.

"What?!" asked Twilight, feeling the same stabbing pain through her chest.

Trixie laughed as the triad moved to her. "Do you honestly think such simple tricks can beat me?"

"How? How can you possibly be so high-level? You only just learned how to use real magic last night!" said Twilight.

"Simple. My family were expert magicians, and have taught me all they knew of it since I was a child," said Trixie.

"But those were just cheap illusions," said Twilight.

"Magic knowledge is magic knowledge," said Trixie. "Once my spiritual power was awoken, all that knowledge was shifted into power."

" _Now it makes sense,_ " thought Twilight, remembering yesterday. " _That's why I sensed her aura back at the park. It was always there, waiting for someone to activate it._ "

"Now, with me great intelligence and skill, along with Discord's reality-warping powers, allow me to show you just what I can do with my magic," said Trixie. "Manifest! Trick of the Box of Swords!"

"Box of what?!" asked Twilight as a large box formed around her, with the doors slamming shut. Twilight tried them but groaned. " _Crap! I'm stuck!_ "

"Alright Twilight, let's see you get out of this! Dance of Swords!" yelled Trixie, as a large swarm of swords manifested and flew toward the box. Then Twilight noticed something; a small white dove had landed nearby. That was all she needed.

" _Sorry in advance for this, birdy,_ " she thought. "Substitution!" Quickly, the bird and Twilight switched positions just before the swords pierced the box.

" _What?!_ " thought Trixie, feeling the penalty hit her through the head.

"Please be okay!" said Twilight, looking at the box. Thankfully, the bird then flew out of the eye-slit in the box.

" _Phew! That was close,_ " thought Twilight, looking at her friends. " _Thank god Fluttershy isn't awake to see that. She'd have my head for that sort of move._ " Then she looked at Trixie as the box faded. "Are you insane?! You almost killed me!"

"What?!" asked Trixie, snapping out of some sort of trance. "N-No, you're wrong. I… I knew you'd get out."

"Twilight!" called a voice in her mind.

" _Celeste?_ " she asked.

"Be careful sister," said Celeste, who was watching the duel on a magic orb. "Discord has begun to take control of that girl's mind. You have to end this duel before it's too late."

"Don't gotta tell me twice," she replied telepathically. "And I'm fine, thanks for asking."

"I've sent for Zecora, but she tells me that something's made her teletransportation spell divert her from the city. It'll take a while for her to reach your position," said Celeste.

"So then why did you send her if she'll never make it in time?" asked Twilight angrily. "God, everything you're doing is just causing us more problems."

"Twilight… Where did that come from?" asked Celeste, a bit surprised.

Twilight quickly caught her words and understood. "I-I… Sorry, I didn't mean it," she said. "I'm just a little nervous, that's all."

" _Okay, this is getting weird,_ " Celeste thought to herself.

"My turn!" said Twilight, sending her hand waving down as a slash. "Blade of Energy!"

"Screen of Smoke!" called Trixie, disappearing from the blade's path in a puff of smoke before reappearing right next to its seared trail. Twilight growled. "Now to demonstrate why it's better to use these horns as magic wands." Then magic coursed through her wand and hand. "Horn Gladio!" With that, her wand quickly turned into a sword and she leaped to attack.

"Shield!" yelled Twilight as she raised a magic shield around her, blocking the blade and sending Trixie back chuckling weakly with her wand back to normal.

" _Why did she attack me physically?_ " thought Twilight. " _That's way too far off her alley._ "

" _Transmutation magic requires very high levels of spiritual energy,_ " thought Celeste. " _Sheesh. If that's the case then her power must dwarf Twilight's at the moment._ "

"What'll it be now, Twilight?" asked Trixie.

" _Oh man, I hope this plan works,_ " thought Twilight as she leaped at Trixie.

"Ha! You honestly think a full frontal assault will take me by surprise?" asked Trixie. "I know how to block physical attacks too. Ace of Diamonds!" A large diamond shield appeared in front of her, but that was just what Twilight was planning on.

"Don't fail me now, Old Reliable," said Twilight. "Ghostly Wings!" Her wings quickly manifested and allowed Twilight to fly around the shield and shoot full-tilt at Trixie.

" _Are you kidding me?!_ " she thought.

"Fleeting Blow!" yelled Twilight as a large cloud of magic encompassed her fist and she punched Trixie straight in the face.

"Hah-hah! This kid may be higher level, but Twilight always has been a crafty one," smiled Celeste.

"D-Damn! How dare you hit me…" growled Trixie, wiping the blood from her mouth.

"Just as I surmised," said Twilight. "I can use more than one spell during my turn simply when it isn't meant to harm you. And I can't use the same defense or attack over and over again in this duel. You forgot to mention that, didn't you?"

"How… How did you find out?" asked Trixie.

"Thanks to you actually," she replied. "Before the duel began, you told me that this benefactor of yours told you all about me. That must mean he also told you what spells I know. When you threw yourself at me and forced me to use my Shield spell, I wondered how you possibly didn't know that I had that spell in my repertoire."

" _Shit!_ " thought Trixie.

"And so I imagined that the Restricting Circle may not allow for a repetition of the same attack and defense spells," continued Twilight. "That's why you wanted me to use my Shield against your weaker attack; so I wouldn't be able to use it against something more powerful. Just give it up now Trixie; I've seen through your sick game."

Trixie just chuckled. "Trust me Twilight, this duel is far from over," she said and pulled out the voodoo doll that started all this madness.

"Uh… why do you have a doll?" asked Twilight, worried and scared.

"Fractione!" said Trixie, and Twilight suddenly felt weak all over again.

" _Damn it! There it is again! I'm so tired,_ " she thought. "What… What did you do to me?"

"To answer that, I think I'll give you a lesson on a different kind of magic," said Trixie. " _BLACK_ MAGIC!"

"What?" asked Twilight.

" _Impossible! She's broken Twilight's aura!_ " thought Celeste. " _But how… How can she possibly dare to use black magic? Who taught her?_ "

Meanwhile… "So you've been with Celeste for all these years?" asked Spike.

"Yes," replied the woman. "And I've come with a very important gift from her." Spike was confused as the woman raised her hood to reveal she was Zecora before she gave a strange chuckle.

 **TFS DBZA Mr. Popo: Well, that's f*cking ominous.**

 **Sonic Prime: I would be inclined to agree, Mr. Popo. Please be sure to stick around for the continuation, which will hopefully come out** _ **very**_ **soon.**


	34. Chapter 8 part 6

**Chapter 8 part 6**

Back in the infirmary, the Jewel of Honesty started shimmering and an orange light emanated out from Applejack's forehead, dispelling the sleep-spell and waking her up.

" _Hmmm… What happened to me?_ " she thought, looking around. " _Why is everyone asleep?_ " Then she saw a large glow of purple light coming from the field, which she decided to investigate.

"I've never heard of black magic," said Twilight.

"Ha! What an average student you are!" said Trixie. "Alright, I'll give you a quick crash-course of the more important points. There are seven different types of magic: Elemental; as you and your friends use, Light; as Celestia and yourself use, Dark; as the lady Luna uses, White; which heals all harms, Black; which affects both living _and_ dead, and finally Heavenly and Demonic, both of which are nearly impossible for mortals to control."

"Wait. My sister never told me about any of this," said Twilight.

"Of course not. She doesn't trust you," said Trixie.

"What?"

"It's true that, especially with black magic, one must be careful in using it can tend to cause mutual harm, but my benefactor trusts that I'm sufficiently able to handle this sort of power," said Trixie. "Surely your sister knows that you're inexperienced and therefore cannot be trusted in handling power like this."

"Celeste… this isn't true, is it?" she asked telepathically.

"Ignore her Twilight," her sister replied. "If Zecora and I didn't talk about it before, it's only because black magic is very dangerous, not only for the user, but it can also cause insane collateral damage to those close by, _including_ the user."

"So then she's right… You _don't_ trust me, do you?" Twilight asked angrily.

" _Dammit, Twilight…_ " thought Celeste.

"And now I have you literally in the palm of my hand," said Trixie. "There's something very interesting I want to try. Granted, I wanted to try and leave voodoo out of this duel, but you've left me no choice."

"Voodoo?" asked Twilight.

"Of course," said Trixie. "Usually it's used to curse someone, but there are many different kinds of voodoo magic, and the kind _I'm_ using on _you_ is the most effective; the direct manipulation of the Aura."

"Wait, what?" asked Twilight.

"All living things have an Aura; the energy that protects us from external attacks that we suffer from this or any other world, and all auras have their own frequencies, sort of like a wi-fi signal," explained Trixie. "When you use voodoo, it usually requires some piece of clothing or a strand of hair, because it holds the aura wavelength of its owner. But such small things don't have enough for this sort of voodoo. For that, I required your permission to obtain your aura's exact frequency."

"But I never gave it to you," said Twilight. "How did you-?"

"Physical contact is all a mage of my class requires," said Trixie with a cruel chuckle.

"Oh crap!"

"Exactly," said Trixie. "With simple actions to this doll, I can make your mind and body feel the same things in reality. I could raise your body temperature to levels higher than any human could bare or lower it until your blood feels like ice. I could make you feel more ecstatic or depressed than seemingly possible. I can even order you to do something stupid like jump off a building or attack your friends. The possibilities are only limited to my own imagination. But honestly, what I'd really like to do is simply watch you _SUFFER!_ " Meanwhile, Applejack had arrived outside the field and was watching the whole thing.

" _The heck's goin' on down there?_ " she thought. " _Who's that girl with Twilight and the others?_ " Then it struck her. "Wait, so is this why everyone's out? Because of the threats Twi and her friends have to fight?"

"Now Twilight, let me see you in pain!" growled Trixie as she clenched her fist around the doll's midsection, making her scream in pain. "That's right girly! Let me hear it! Let me see you fall to your knees and beg me to leave you alone!"

" _No!_ " thought Applejack. Suddenly her Jewel activated and gave her a barrage of visions of strange pastel-colored ponies that seemed to resemble them all. " _What's happenin' to me? What were those visions? What're they telling me? Have we actually met before this life?_ " Twilight's screaming brought her out of this and sent her focusing on Twilight.

"Help!" she screamed, but all Applejack could see was a young Native American girl screaming the same thing, terrifying Applejack.

"I CAN'T!" she yelled and ran off, crying. " _I can't go through this! Not again!_ " Her Jewel depowered at Applejack's resistance, but still… at least Applejack knew _something_.

 **Sonic Prime: This will be important later on in the story, so maybe look forward to more mentions of this Native American.**

"Okay, that's enough of that," said Trixie, letting Twilight fall to her hands and knees and cough in pain. "I don't want you to pass out from the pain too soon. Where's the fun in that?"

"Why?… ugh… How is it that you're still able to attack?" Twilight asked weakly.

"What was that?" asked Trixie, before she looked up at the triad that was still above her head. "Ah, you mean the time limit. Of course. How foolish of me to forget something like that. True, the time of the attacker is limited, but if the attack is still active, it won't pass to the opponent until the attack's complete… and as Voodoo is still active, it's as if it was an attack on your person."

" _Ahh shit,_ " thought Twilight.

"Which is why I didn't have to use it, as the only way to stop it is for me to drop the doll or for you to pass out," continued Trixie. "And as you cannot attack me by the rule of the Restriction Circle, I've already won this duel. But now I have to ask myself; how should I go about ending it?"

" _Kill her!_ " yelled a voice in her head. Trixie was surprised by this voice, but Celeste was just terrified as she saw Trixie's Discord Jewel turning red.

" _Oh no… Discord's taking her over!_ " she thought. "Zecora, I don't know what you're doing and I don't care, but you have to get to the school. Now!"

"K… Kill her?" asked Trixie, her sclera turning yellow.

" _Yes, do it! She doesn't deserve to stay in this world!_ " said Discord, moving Trixie's hand to twist the doll's head violently to the side, doing the same to Twilight's head. " _Just move it a bit further… and it'll be all over…_ "

"But… I only wanted her to feel the pain I've felt all my life," said Trixie, trying her best to fight the demon. "Just for one day. The anguish, despair, disillusion, contempt. I wanted her to lose her happiness, her hope, her love of friendship… but not her life."

"Tri…xie!" squealed Twilight.

" _It's thanks to her that you lost your family!_ " yelled Discord. " _You promised that she'd pay for what she did to you! This is the best way!_ "

"I… promised…" Trixie breathed as she remembered that morning.

"Trixie, what I've taught you was so you can use it as you wish in the duel you'll be fighting today," Christopher had said. "Make her suffer all you want, but I must ask you one thing; don't kill her. She's very important to me, especially because of what she'll have to do later."

"I don't understand," said Trixie. "Why would I want to kill her? I'm no murderer."

"Maybe not but trust me; men with hearts of honor and justice can transform into beasts of madness and no control when they acquire power," said Christopher. "I taught you all I did because I trust you not to kill her. Promise me you won't kill, and you will always be my beautiful sorceress…"

 **Sonic Prime: Uh… I think she needs an adult.**

 **Christopher: I am an adult.**

 **Sonic Prime: Yeah okay, guess I walked into that one. Anyway…!**

Then Trixie flashed back to the present. "I won't do it! I'm not a murderer!" she yelled.

" _You worthless human!_ " screeched Discord in anger. " _Who do you think you're talking to here?! I am Discord! Not even the most fearsome monsters in any world have been able to disobey me! How do you think a pathetic mortal like you won't do as I command?!_ "

"Shut up! I control my own life!" yelled Trixie.

" _Shit! Just another centimeter and I think my neck's gonna break!_ " Twilight thought in pain. " _I have to get out of this!_ "

" _I order you to do it!_ " yelled Discord.

"I won't!" said Trixie.

" _KILL HER!_ "

"SHUT UUUP!" yelled Trixie. "I am Trixie Lulamoon! I am the most powerful mage on Earth!"

" _DAMN YOU…!_ " yelled Discord before his red light faded from the Jewel.

" _Impossible! She managed to break free of Discord's control,_ " thought Celeste in awe. " _Even the most powerful creatures of Equestria have been snared in his clutches… Maybe her excessive self-confidence is so great that not even a monster like Discord can overcome it._ "

"Shut up Celeste…" Twilight telepathically groaned.

"Twilight?" asked Celeste.

" _I… I thought I was gonna die,_ " she thought, rubbing her neck.

"Twilight, please listen to me," said Celeste. "You have to end this duel now. That girl was able to free herself from Discord, but the longer she spends with the Jewel, the more influence he'll gain over her will, and she's bound to succumb to him sooner or later."

"I said shut up," said Twilight, an edge in her voice. "This is _my_ duel, and _I'll_ decide what to do in it."

"Twilight please, you have to listen to me-"

"Listen to you?!" Twilight growled as the triad appeared over her head. "I've been listening to you since I was a kid! I always did what you asked, and I always got a rant from Mom and Dad because of it! When it was always your fault! Don't tell me I have to listen to you!"

" _Twilight…_ " thought Celeste, shocked by her sister's words. But then she realized it. " _Oh shit, she's about to-_ "

"It's over Trixie!" yelled Twilight. "You thought I only use light magic, but I have something even more powerful. Nothing from light or darkness, but a level so high that only the Equestrian Royal Family know how to use it. And it's the only _good_ thing my sister ever taught me!"

"No Twilight, don't!" yelled Celeste.

"I win!" yelled Twilight, ignoring everything she'd learned about the Restraining Circle and moving to charge it.

" _Finally!_ " thought Trixie, remembering what Christopher told her. "The Stella Magna?"

"Yeah, it's a Heavenly Magic technique that only the Equestrian Royal Family knows how to use," said her mentor.

"So then why can Twilight use it?" asked Trixie.

"Only a member of the Royal Family can transfer their knowledge via spiritual energy to someone else who can use that move," said Christopher. "In this case, it's the reincarnation of Celestia who is now Twilight's sister."

"So how do I face it?" asked Trixie.

"Well, there are only two methods," said Christopher. "The first is a Heavenly defensive spell, but even with your level, using it would be suicide."

"What about the second?" asked Trixie.

"Simply put? Try your best to dodge," said Christopher. "But you ain't a Pegasus, so I wouldn't hold my breath for that working."

"So if she uses that move, I won't be able to escape?" asked Trixie.

"Not exactly," said Christopher. "Only one counterattack could protect you from its power."

"But Chris, I can't counter anything in the Restriction Circle," said Trixie.

Christopher just laughed. "My lovely sorceress… There are plenty of ways to fight back without the need to use your own powers."

" _Time for my ultimate trick!_ " thought Trixie.

"See you in hell!" yelled Twilight. "Stella MAGNAAAA!" With one swift move, the blast echoed across the field.

"Rise up, magical hat!" called Trixie, suddenly causing her hat to rise up and consume the blast's power.

"What the-?! What did you do to my blast?!" asked Twilight.

"I've sent it on a little trip," said Trixie.

"A trip?" asked Twilight, confused.

"Down a rabbit hole, in a manner of speaking," said Trixie. "And like all tunnels, if you have an entrance… you've gotta have an exit…"

"Uh-oh," said Twilight getting the picture. Then she heard the whine of her blast from behind her. Looking over her shoulder, she saw that her hat had levitated up as well. And the opening was pointing at her.

"I told you you'd regret not accepting a sorceress's gift," Trixie smirked. "VORTEX!"

" _Ah crapbaskets,_ " thought Twilight just before the Stella Magna blasted out of the hat and hit her right in the back.

"TWILIGHT!" yelled Celeste. Once the blast dissipated, Twilight was somehow left standing, horribly weak.

" _G-girls… forgive me…_ " the thought as she powered down and started falling forward. " _I've… I've failed you all…_ " Once she hit the ground, her Jewel fell from her and bounced out in front of her. The Restricting Circle dissipated as Trixie made her way across the field.

"K.O.," she said as she stopped in front of Twilight and picked up the Jewel. "I win." Then she simply placed it in the bag and smiled. "Perfect…"


	35. Chapter 8 part 7

**Chapter 8 part 7**

Trixie laughed. "Wow, I'm the best, don't you think Twilight?" she asked. "Man, I wish you could see your friends now. They're almost out of time. Just a few more minutes and Oblivio will have the last of their memories. And after that, it's your turn."

Twilight was just ignoring her, imagining what her friends would say if they were conscious.

"Why Twilight? Why didn't you fight better?" asked Rainbow.

"I'm sorry. I tried my best," she thought.

"You tried? You don't care about anything but yourself. You even risked the life of an innocent dove!"

"Fluttershy…"

"I wanted to help people, and because of you, I won't even have a life of my own!"

"Rarity… Please, I didn't mean to…"

"I just wanted to be your friend, laugh with you. But you never even appreciated me."

"Pinkie…"

"Admit it Twilight. I was always right. You just wanted more magic. More power. Not friendship."

"Applejack… I…" Finally Twilight just broke. "Alright fine! It's true! I just wanted to make myself stronger! My life was fine before I got here! I didn't want to have friends, but I just ended up accepting them. I understand now. I never deserved to have them…"

"You're right," said a strange darker avatar of herself. "So why not return to the loneliness and darkness within your heart?"

"Darkness… within my heart," asked Twilight.

"Let me be the one next to you… to guide you to where you deserve to live," said her dark side, moving her hand to Twilight's chest.

"I lost my friends… I don't care about anything anymore…" said Twilight.

"Good answer," said her dark side as her hand pierced Twilight's chest. In the real world, Trixie was stunned to see Twilight rise, glowing with strange black smoke.

"Twilight?! How the hell did you get up?" she asked. " _Why is she still smoking? The blast should've worn off by now._ " Then it hit her. " _Wait… no. That's not smoke… it's-_ "

"Black magic!" said a terrified Celeste.

Then with a loud scream, Twilight sent out a massive shockwave of black magic sending a dark specter out to Trixie, which grabbed her, sending her Discord Jewel flying away, and then placed its mouth over her head, forcing her to remember the sight of her parents being murdered by the bear right before her eyes.

 **Sonic Prime: Merciful Buddha… This is f*# &ed up.**

"NOOOO!" screamed Trixie as she fell, crying. But her broken psyche didn't stop the Oblivio spell from draining the last of Pinkie's memories. But once it did, Pinkie's eyes suddenly shot open, blank. Finally, Zecora arrived but looked on in horror.

"Shit! I'm too late," she growled.

"Zecora, what took you so long?" asked Celeste. "Ugh, forget it. What's wrong with Twilight? What did she just do?"

"She unconsciously mixed Dark and Black Magics. She's invoked the Tantabus!" said Zecora.

"What?! You mean the demonic spirit that gives nightmares to whoever it permeates with its dark aura? Zecora, you have to help her."

"Too late," said Zecora. "Twilight opened a Gate to Darkness, and any mortal who dares enter it will be consumed by the same energy."

"Well, do you have any ideas?" asked Celeste. "I'm all ears."

"I can try to get in and pull her out before I get infected, but at this point, her body should already be steeped in darkness…" said Zecora as Twilight disappeared into the portal. Then she sensed something and looking off to one side, she was shocked. " _You've gotta be kidding me…_ "

" _What's happening to me?_ " Twilight thought. " _I can't see or hear anything… I'm just… cold… Huh. So… this is what it's like to be alone in the darkness, huh? Ah well, I deserve it… for being such a horrible friend… for not being able to help them…_ " Suddenly, she felt something holding her hand, but she didn't know who.

Zecora did though. " _Pinkie? How can she enter the darkness and not be affected…?_ " she thought, watching Pinkie kneel in the portal. " _More importantly, how did she break the Oblivio? Trixie only managed to cast that spell because of the Discord Jewel…_ " Then that occurred to her. "Oh right, the Jewel!"

Finally, in one last explosive movement, Pinkie managed to pull Twilight from the portal. This however angered the Tantabus into exiting the portal and letting out an angered shriek as it lunged at Pinkie.

"You won't take her!" she yelled, letting the spirit see one of her blank angry eyes. "She's mine!" One look and the Tantabus was apparently terrified as it recoiled back to the portal and closed it.

Zecora quickly blasted the Discord Jewel with her magic and obliterated it. "Whew! Finally…" With that, the Oblivio spell broke and let Pinkie snap back into it.

"Whuzzat? What the hell happened?" she asked. Then she looked at Twilight in her arms and was instantly freaked; her skin had almost turned completely lavender with light blue lines on her cheeks.

"Twilight…" said Celeste in concern.

"Her body is completely tainted with darkness," Zecora said telepathically. "And that darkness is slowly turning her into a servant of the dark side. A Midnight Witch."

"Twilight please," said Pinkie, pulling her up into a hug. "Please don't take this path. Don't go where I don't want to go back to."

"Pin…kie… Is that you?" Twilight asked weakly.

"Twilight! Hey. Yeah, I'm here," she said, letting Twilight back down into her arms.

"It's my fault," Twilight sobbed. "Everyone's suffering because of me… I don't deserve to have you guys as my friends…"

"Don't talk like that, Twilight," said Pinkie. "You're not guilty of anything. We all chose the life of a Bearer ourselves. All you're responsible for is being an awesome friend." At this point, the others were waking up and shaking their heads in pain. "Do you remember what we talked about yesterday before we got to the park? About the words you need to start a friendship?"

"Yeah… I-I remember…" said Twilight. "Respect… and happiness…"

"Yeah, that's it. But there's one word I forgot. One that's even more important," said Pinkie. "Love. Love your friends and the moments you share with them. Because you can always know the love of a true friend will be sincere." At this point, Pinkie was starting to cry too. "So please Twilight… come back to us so we can keep having those happy moments we've built and keep building our love."

"Moments… we've built?" asked Twilight. She remembered every crazy thing that had happened since she began this crusade with Pinkie; searching for the Bearers with her, bantering with Rarity, planting in the park with Fluttershy, their slumber party after Rainbow joined up. Now her tears were turning happy. "…Yeah… I want that to keep going… The love you guys give me… that's the one kind of magic I'll need my whole life." All the Jewels started glowing as Twilight's eyes shot open. "No! I don't want it to end! Please!" At that, the Jewels flew out to the girls, purifying Twilight. But the Jewel of Honesty started flying too. Where to? Well… I don't know… Yet.

"Finally, it's over," said Zecora, relieved. " _Twilight, you have finally understood that your magic is the union of the other Elements. But at the same time, your Element is the Harmony that the other Jewels need… But it's weird… All the Jewels except Honesty were in that bag when Tantabus blew it away. And I was so focused on finding the Discord Jewel, I missed where the bag fell. How did they get out? I'm sure Trixie tied it securely. Is Harmony that powerful?_ " The group wouldn't know the answers to these questions for a while… but I'm sure Applejack knows already, as she was walking away from the bag on the ground right now.

"Hey Pinkie, I think I can see again," said Twilight.

"I'm glad Twilight," said Pinkie, just about to break down crying. "Don't scare me like that ever again."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Twilight smiled. "I love you. All of you."

"We love you too," said Pinkie as the others gathered around the two. "No matter what we face, we always look out for each other." Applejack heard that and was still conflicted as to what to do about it.

"Twilight, in the name of Celestia, we are all happy you're back to normal," said Zecora.

"My sister…" Twilight remembered. "I have to apologize to her. I was so cruel."

"She understands that it wasn't your intention since there was an explanation for how you acted," said Zecora. "But we have to leave. Since the Discord Jewel is dust, everyone will be waking up soon. We have to be far away from here before then."

Twilight nodded in understanding before she looked over at Trixie, still cuddled up in fear. "I'm sorry Ms. Zecora, just give me a second," She walked over to Trixie and helped her up. "Hey Trixie, you okay?"

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" she growled batting Twilight's hand away.

"Wha- Please Trixie, I just want to help you," said Twilight.

"I don't want your help!" yelled Trixie, tears of terror coursing down her face. "I hate you, Twilight Sparkle! You and all your worthless friends! I hate you all!" With that in mind, she ran off into the distance.

"I just wanted to be friends," said Twilight sadly.

"I'm sorry Twilight," said Zecora. "But just as there are brothers, friends, and lovers of your soul, there are also rivals thereof."

"Ms. Zecora, I think we should leave now," said Rarity. "I think I heard someone."

"Right. I'll explain everything in a more private setting…" Suddenly Zecora sensed something and looked off in one direction, scowling as she felt that the power she had _just_ sensed was gone.

"Is something the matter?" asked Rarity.

"It's nothing," said Zecora with an edge to her voice. "Let's just go." Rarity was surprised and a bit confused as she saw the African sage follow the others.

"Wait, a doll?" asked Pinkie, having heard from Twilight. "Well, where is it?"

"She threw it away. No idea where it landed though," said Twilight. This question would be answered later, by the same red and yellow-haired girl from the hydra incident, now wearing some sort of dark prep-school uniform, holding the doll in one hand and some sort of disk with a pentagram hanging from it on a red piece of cloth.

" _Damn, I'm too late,_ " she thought. " _But there's no doubt about it… She's definitely in this city._ "

Later that evening, Zecora had explained the whole thing. "I was about to turn in to a Midnight Witch?" asked Twilight.

"Yes. Unfortunately, over the course of these last few days, and especially during that duel, your body and spirit were shifting to the dark side, taking you to the limit of your resistance," said Zecora. "The rejection you suffered from the girl you say is the Bearer of Honesty was the starting point for a descent into depression. But the decisive moment was today when Trixie broke your aura, which allowed external negative magic to enter your systems and grow little by little until you couldn't control it, and it overflowed. But you now have a dark essence within you known as the Tantabus, which created a Portal to Darkness which engulfed you."

"And that was turning me into a witch?" asked Twilight.

"People who handle magic are favored targets of dark forces because they can manipulate their power to turn them to servants of evil," said Zecora. "Luckily for you, Pinkie woke up at just the right moment to save you before that darkness completely consumed your soul."

"Yeah, thanks Pinkie," said Twilight.

"What are friends for?" asked Pinkie with a giggle.

"But darling, wouldn't that mean you were bewitched as well?" asked Rarity.

"Nah! I just shook it off," said Pinkie. "I'm really tough."

" _Rarity is right,_ " thought Zecora. " _How could she have woken up? Especially after the spell had already stripped her of all her memories. But what strikes me most… how could she enter the inner circle of energy without being affected? There are only two classes that are immune to that power… But Pinkie can't possibly be either… can she?_ " She stared at Pinkie, who was just laughing with her friends' happiness and awe. " _I'll have to keep a close eye on you._ "

"So all's well that ends well, right Zecora?" asked Twilight.

"Not just yet, Twilight," said Zecora. "I have to take you to Celestia now. You may have escaped that darkness, but I can still sense traced of its power within you, and if we just leave it there, it could spread and try to conquer you again at any time as if it were cancer. Only Celestia's holy light can extinguish this blackness."

"I understand," said Twilight. "How long will it take to get rid of it all?"

"At least three days," Zecora said bluntly.

"Three days!? I can't be out of town for three days! What about school? What about my parents?" asked Twilight.

"Relax, I can cover those bases with a simple class-two clone to temporarily replace you," said Zecora.

"Wait, a clone? You can do that?" asked Twilight.

"Of course I can," said Zecora. "The alchemical formula to create a physically accurate replicate is very simple. I just need some mud, a few specific substances and a few different strands of your DNA."

"Wait, what's all this about 'class-two'?" asked Rarity.

"There are three separate classes of clones that I can create," explained Zecora. "Class-one is only a physical replication; inanimate like a life-sized doll. Class-three is far too risky as it's a complete 100% replicate, physically _and_ mentally. And due to the many days that she'll exist, she may get the idea that she's the real Twilight. She might even develop magic and become a huge problem as she would fight for her existence, savagely if need be. Given those factors, I'll have to use class-two; they're basically the same as class-one, except animated. Also, she'll only be able to obey commands given to her by an outside force. Ergo, you'll have to take turns being with her, and tell Spike the same for while they're at home."

"Zecora, I can't be absent that long, even _with_ a clone," said Twilight. "I'm the only one who can detect the Discord Jewels. Without me, the others won't know where the attack is."

"No need to worry about that Twilight," said Zecora. "Just go home and pack clothes for three or more days. I'll prepare the clone and teach Rarity the detection spell for while you're gone."

"Well alright," Twilight relented. "Pinkie, come with me. Gonna need some help."

"Ok!" she said, as the two left.

"Um, miss? What about us?" asked Fluttershy, referring to herself and Rainbow.

"You two can go home. I won't be needing you tonight," said Zecora.

"Great," groaned Rainbow. "Why are we always treated as background characters?"

Later on, Twilight and Pinkie were right outside Twilight's apartment complex. "Man, today is gonna be hard to forget," said Twilight.

"Seriously. But hey, all's well that ends well, eh Twilight?" asked Pinkie.

"That's all thanks to you Pinkie," said Twilight. "I don't think I'll ever repay you."

"Just promise me that we'll keep being friends," said Pinkie.

Twilight laughed. "Oh yeah, I promise," she said. "By the way, I've been meaning to ask you this since we left the school. When I was in your arms, I think I heard you say something."

"Really? What was it?" asked Pinkie.

"It sounded like 'Don't go where I don't want to go back to'. What did you mean by that?" asked Twilight.

"I said that?" Pinkie asked quietly.

"What?" asked Twilight.

"Uh Twilight cmon, you were in serious trouble remember?" asked Pinkie. "You probably just imagined it." There was a long awkward silence between the two.

"Yeah, you're probably right," said Twilight. "I do have a pretty active imagination."

"Look, all you have to worry about is going to Celeste and getting better, okay?" said Pinkie.

"Yeah, you're right," said Twilight as she walked up to the main door of the complex. "Wait here, I'll just grab a few things and I'll be right back."

"Alright, don't take too long," said Pinkie as Twilight disappeared into the building. Once she was gone, Pinkie's smile faded and she gently closed her eyes. " _I'm sorry Twilight… If only my Element were Honesty…_ "

In the apartment, Spike was looking intently at something until he heard Twilight outside. "Spike! You in there?"

"Uh yeah, what's up?" he asked.

"Why is the door locked? Cmon let me in, I gotta get to my room and then we have to talk about something," said Twilight.

"Ok, I'm coming," he said. But he didn't move for a few seconds as he stared down at what he had in his lap; it was a black headband with a white unicorn horn and a heart-shaped ruby tied to it with a purple bow. "…Rarity…"

Hours later, on the beach, Christopher was waiting when Trixie ran up. "I was wondering when you'd get here," he said.

"I'm sorry Chris," said Trixie, kneeling. "I failed you. I couldn't control the jewel."

"I know," said Christopher. "No mortal can control the power of Discord."

"But… you told me I could," said Trixie.

"Are you kidding? I lied," said Christopher. "I wanted to know how well you could resist Discord's power and let me just say, you passed with flying colors."

"But he almost made me kill Twilight," said Trixie.

"And yet you didn't," said Christopher. "Your pride allowed you to push Discord's influence from your mind." Then he produced a small diamond-shaped ruby. "And that's why no one on this earth deserves this jewel more than you, Trixie."

"What is it? Another Discord Jewel?" she asked.

"No, this gem was part of an old Equestrian amulet," said Christopher. "Now it is one of seven stones."

"Like the Jewels of Harmony?" asked Trixie.

"Eh, sorta," said Christopher. "The difference is that while the Jewels of Harmony need one another for their power to intensify, these jewels don't diminish in power if the others aren't present. This gem is named Pride. Only those with sufficient self-confidence can manipulate this stone's power. In Equestria, only one unicorn could ever masterfully control this jewel's power when it was in the amulet. And I've hoped for many centuries to come back and find its owner."

"Are you saying… this jewel… Pride… is mine?" asked Trixie.

"I'm saying it _could_ be yours," said Christopher. "Join me and you'll have more power than you've ever experienced; today, before or since. You don't know how much you mean to me, Trixie." Trixie almost accepted the Jewel but then turned away.

"Before I make my decision, I want you to tell me something. No lies," said Trixie. "The way Flim and Flam treated me yesterday… was that your doing?"

"…It was," he shrugged. "I cast a spell on them. But trust me, all it did was open their hearts."

"Are you trying to tell me that they really did want me gone?" asked Trixie.

"Yes, but not out of malice or exhaustion of your presence," said Christopher. "It was because they knew you couldn't rise in the life they were offering you. You exist for much greater things."

"But they took care of me when I needed help most," said Trixie.

"Look, Trixie, from here on out, you can decide what you want in your life:" said Christopher. "My lessons are yours. I won't take it away. You can give them back their memories from before they kicked you out. You can live with them to the end of your days and that's all she wrote. Or… you can join me and be a goddess among insects. I can show you realms you never thought possible and more importantly, I can give you what you've desired since you were a child… A true family, Trixie. One where you don't have to hide anything. A family where you'll have the protection of a home, where you're respected, admired and loved. They were on the road you traveled, sure, but I'm the destination that will lead you to greatness."

"I just want to be loved," said Trixie.

"I can promise you, my beloved enchantress," said Christopher. "That's exactly how it will be." Trixie just moved her hand to his and accepted the jewel, making him smirk. "Let's go home, Trixie. So much to do… So little time…"

 **To Be Continued…**


	36. Chapter 9 part 1

**Chapter 9 part 1**

In almost every culture, there are stories that say we have someone who we've been spiritually linked with since we were born. You can meet hundreds of people throughout your life, maybe even get to love them. But only with this person will you gain true happiness. The one thing almost all these stories have in common is that fate is a fickle mistress, deciding who this person you're linked to is. But every now and then, there's someone among the masses who bend their hand to fate and choose who _they_ want to live and care for all eternity, defying the laws of space and time themselves. And this is a lesson that our heroes will learn soon.

It had been three days since Twilight's battle with Trixie, and while Twilight was recovering from the darkness that had nearly consumed her, the other Bearers had had to fight the Discord Creatures without her help, leading to more than a few complications on that front.

Spike was walking toward the high school when Apple Bloom ran up behind him. "Hey cmon Spike, wait up!" she called. "Where ya goin'?"

"Looking for someone," he said simply.

"Hmph. Don't tell me you wanna meet up with that stu-co pres again," said Apple Bloom, used to this sort of thing at this point. "You know how busy she is."

"My business is my business, not yours," said Spike simply. "Besides, shouldn't you be waiting outside campus? I thought Big Mac was picking you up."

"Man, ye're mean," said Apple Bloom. "And here I was worryin' about ya."

"You don't understand, A.B.," said Spike. "Rarity and I have something special…"

Apple Bloom just laughed. "Are you kiddin' me? She wouldn't notice you in a million years!" Spike cringed at this, knowing in his heart that she wasn't right. "Besides, don't you think she's a little too old for you? Plus, there's the whole height thing."

"Age is irrelevant," said Spike, though I can honestly say I disagree with that comment. "And I'll grow soon." That, however…

"Well, if ya want my opinion, ya should probably focus on girls yer own age first," said Apple Bloom.

"What, you mean like you?" asked Spike.

Apple Bloom blushed bright red and gave a quick hasty laugh as she smacked him in the back of the head. "Dumbo! We're just friends!"

"Ouch! What the heck?" groaned Spike.

"Hey, Apple Bloom! Cmon, let's go!" called Big Mac from nearby.

"Comin', big bro!" called Apple Bloom. "Need a ride home?"

"Nah, I think I'll just keep looking," said Spike.

"Have it yer way," Apple Bloom shrugged. "See ya tomorrow." With that, she left, still blushing a bit.

" _Man, where is she?_ " thought Spike. " _I really wanted to give her this headband today… But every time I try, it's like there's something that stops me._ "

Rarity meanwhile was in the middle of a monster battle on the beach with the other girls against a large octopus-looking thing. "Make this quick, girls!" called Fluttershy. "I'm not sure how long I can keep this sand-blind going!" called Fluttershy.

"Just hang in there Fluttershy, we're working on it!" called Rainbow. "Although it would probably be going a lot faster if Rarity would hurry the heck up with finding the Discord Jewel!"

"Oh for- If you'd stop pressuring me, I could concentrate much easier!" said Rarity. "Do you think this spell is easy?"

"Twilight didn't take this long to use it," Rainbow said offhandedly.

"Well then, go find her in Greece or wherever if my efforts are so fruitless to you!" growled Rarity.

"Okay jeez," said Rainbow. "Climb down off that rag will ya, drama-queen?" Then she turned down to Pinkie. "Yo Pinkie! Help me distract this overgrown calamari platter, will ya?"

Pinkie meanwhile… "Wow Sci-Twi, you look so adorable in that outfit!" … was dressing Twilight's clone up like a cheerleader… because reasons.

Sci-Twi, as everyone had named her, was just as Zecora had described her three days ago; an exact physical copy of Twilight who was eager to please. In fact, the only difference was that she was wearing glasses. "Thank you, Miss Pinkie," Also there was the fact that she referred to all her friends as "Miss". It was weird at first, but the girls got used to it.

"AHHH! You're soooo cute!" Pinkie more-so than the others as she quickly grappled the clone in a hug.

"Dammit Pinkie, stop using Sci-Twi as your personal doll and help me up here, will ya!?" asked Rainbow.

"I gotta work now, hun," said Pinkie, as she slipped in the monster's direction. "Remember to cheer for whoever's winning, 'kay?"

 **Sonic Prime: Am I the only one who thinks that was ambiguously worded? No? Okay, thought so.**

"Yes, Ms. Pinkie," said Sci-Twi, obeying as she was basically programmed to say.

"Oooh! I can't stop hugging you!" said Pinkie, grappling Sci-Twi again, this time making the clone sweatdrop.

"AAARGH! Dammit, Pinkie, I told you to come help me!" yelled Rainbow as she tried to pulled her off the clone.

"Watch out!" yelled Fluttershy as the octopus blasted out two large arcs of black liquid, which the girls quickly dodged with a squeal, Pinkie picking up Sci-Twi like a board and running off with her.

"What is that stuff, ink?" asked Rainbow.

"I don't know, but it smells disgusting…" said Pinkie, covering her nose and mouth.

Back at the school, Spike was talking to one of Rarity's friends in Student Council. "Rarity left?" he asked.

"Yeah, I think she went to see her boyfriend," she replied.

"What?! Her boyfriend!?" asked Spike, terrified at his chances circling the drain.

"Yeah, I heard her talking to him on the phone before she left," said the girl. "Didn't hear where they were meeting up though."

"So… she's taken?" Spike's chances already looked abysmal, but this was just worse.

"Well yeah, duh," said the girl in a joking manner. "You didn't honestly think _the_ most popular girl in school was still single, did you?"

"…No. You're right…" said Spike, crestfallen. The girl left and let Spike think. " _What're you thinking Spike? Apple Bloom was right; you and Rarity are just friends._ " But then he remembered his interaction with Zecora three days earlier. " _But the stuff that lady said about us couldn't be lies… could they?_ "

Back at the beach… "Okay, this is getting dumb!" growled Rainbow. "Thunderbolt time!"

"Rainbow, no!" barked Fluttershy. "You promised me you wouldn't use that move here! You know it could hurt the other animals!"

"Agh! Okay-okay, I won't use it!" said Rainbow. "But that doesn't leave me many other options. I can't use Lightning Rod without knowing where to aim it."

"Don't worry Dashie, I got this!" said Pinkie as she created a swirl of water between her hands. "Water Cannon!" Then she blasted the water out at the octopus, but it didn't hurt it. If anything, the beast seemed surprised by the bolt at first, but then it seemed to be liking it. "Whoopsie-daisy. I… think it's enjoying it…"

"Of course it is, bonehead!" growled Rainbow. "It's a _sea_ monster! How's water magic gonna hurt it!?"

And with that… "Let's go, Mr. Octopus! You can do it!" That statement sent Pinkie and Rainbow recoiling.

"Sci-Twi, don't cheer for the enemy…" said Pinkie.

"But you told me to cheer for whoever was winning," the clone reasoned.

"I meant any of us, not the monster!" yelled Pinkie.

 **Sonic Prime: See!? I told you that was ambiguously worded!**

"I… I'm so sorry…" the clone started crying now, but Pinkie quickly zipped over to hug her again.

"Ahhh! Forgive meee! I can never stay mad at you, sweetie!" she said.

" _I swear to every god I know I will never understand how that girl functions,_ " thought Rainbow. Then she noticed Rarity was closing in on the monster. "Rarity, what're you doing?! You have to fall back!"

"I can't! I'm too far away from it for my magic to work! If we want to find the Jewel, I have to get closer!" said Rarity.

"Alright fine, but just watch yourself. I'll cover you," said Rainbow, extending her right hand. "Light Machine Gun!" The light-bullets blasted out at the monster, prompting it to raise a few limbs to try and block them from hitting its eyes. " _This should work. If I can just keep its attention for a few minutes, we should be gold._ " But she saw Rarity was getting dangerously close to the monster. "That's close enough, Rarity! Don't move anymore!"

"Just a touch further…" she murmured, getting dangerously close to the end of one of the beast's tentacles. "Now! Astral Vision!" Unfortunately, her activation of that spell alerted the monster to her presence, making it turn its attention to her. "Found it! Underneath his body, near his beak!"

"Rarity, look out!" yelled Rainbow as one of the beast's arms quickly grabbed her, making her scream. What no one knew was that her screaming and pain were making the ruby in the hairband Spike had react strangely.

Across town, Spike was walking along a field. " _Hmmm… I should probably just head home,_ " he thought. " _Man, wish I accepted that ride from Apple Bloom._ " But then suddenly he heard Rarity's screaming in his head and felt a squeezing pain in his chest as the octopus bashed and tossed Rarity around, making him double-over and then fall onto his back screaming in pain.

"Rarity!" called Fluttershy in fear. Sci-Twi was worried too, but then Pinkie suddenly shot down to the ground and dug her hands into the sand, suddenly turning it dark all the way up to under the octopus, which then shot it into the air and grabbed it by the tentacles, holding it upside-down.

" _Whoa! Moistening the sand for manipulation? I've never seen her use her powers like that…_ " thought Rainbow. " _It's actually kinda awesome!_ "

"Do it now, Rainbow!" yelled Pinkie.

"Uh, right!" called Rainbow as she charged her attack on her fingers, flew down and touched the Discord Jewel before she swooped to a landing. "Lightning Rod!" Then a massive lightning bolt shot down and shattered the Jewel before the monster disappeared. Then Rainbow remembered something. "Oh, crap; Rarity!" Indeed she was still out cold, and Spike was just about to pass out too, as the ruby's reaction subsided.

"Ra…ri…ty…" he moaned.

 **Sonic Prime: Yeesh. "Citizen Kane" much? Also FYI, this chapter has finally started a chapter-naming convention; this one called "All for Love". And if that's not foreshadowing, I don't know what is.**


	37. Chapter 9 part 2

**Chapter 9 part 2**

A few hours passed and the girls had marshaled Rarity away to Fluttershy's house to tend to her as they set her on Fluttershy's bed. Though there was another woman at her house who was a bit confused and concerned by her actions.

"Are you sure she won't have problems at home?" she asked.

"No, we told her sister to tell their parents that she'll be here for a sleepover," said Fluttershy.

"Well okay, but wouldn't it have been better to take her to a hospital? She's unconscious after all," she reasoned.

"Don't worry about it," said Rainbow. "She's just been under a lot of stress with student council work. She's been really weak, but I'm sure she'll be fine tomorrow."

"Well, if you insist," said the woman. Suddenly they heard someone knocking on the front door. "Oh, who could that be?" She left, letting the girls chat for a second.

"Is it really necessary to have her sleep until morning, Fluttershy?" asked Rainbow.

"Of course it is," her friend replied. "You said it yourself; she's been really stressed, especially in our battles… I used a powerful pollen from a flower that causes drowsiness. I thought it'd be right to let her rest long enough to regain her strength."

"Well as long as it's on our minds, do you think it was right for us to tell Sweetie Belle about our powers?" asked Rainbow.

"What choice did we have?" asked Pinkie. "We couldn't tell her parents ourselves; they would've been worried."

"I get that, it's just that she gives me a sort of blackmailer vibe," said Rainbow, suddenly realizing something. "And I am suddenly so glad Rarity wasn't conscious to hear that or she'd kill me."

Then the other woman opened the door. "Fluttershy, do you know this girl? He said he's your friend," she said, leading an exhausted Spike into the room.

"How's Rarity?" he panted.

"Wha- Spike? How did you find my house?" asked Fluttershy.

"Hello, Master Spike," said Sci-Twi candidly.

"'Master Spike'?" asked Rainbow and Pinkie in confusion and jealousy respectively. Spike paid them no mind as he quickly went to Rarity's bedside, bending over her.

"Don't worry, she's just resting," said Fluttershy. "She's just resting. She'll be fine by morning…"

"This is all my fault…" said Spike.

"Ha! _Your_ fault? Cmon dwarf, how is this your fault?" asked Rainbow. "Even if you _did_ want to do something about it, you couldn't have stopped what happened.

"Uhh… Rainbow?" said Fluttershy.

"What?" she asked. Then Spike turned to her, teary-eyed. "Wha- Aw cmon man, I didn't mean it like that. Cmon, please don't cry."

"Come on sweetie," said the woman, leading him away to the kitchen. "Let's get you some milk."

" _Man, I've never seen a guy cry before…_ " thought Rainbow, feeling her high pulse. " _Why's my heart beating so fast?_ " Suddenly Pinkie slapped her in the back of the head. "OW! Aw, cmon, what was that for?!"

"Don't deny it," said Pinkie. "You totally deserved that. Right, Sci-Twi?"

"Yes, Ms. Pinkie," said Twilight.

In the kitchen, the woman had just poured Spike a glass of milk and passed it to him. "Here dear, drink. You'll feel better," she said.

"Thanks," said Spike, taking a small sip.

"You must truly care for that young lady…" she said.

"We're just friends," said Spike, remembering what happened earlier.

She gave an understanding chuckle. "If you say so." Then she thought about earlier. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure. Shoot," he said.

"Fluttershy seemed surprised to see you," she said questioningly. "Like she never told you this was our house. How did you know to come here?"

"I…" Spike thought about it for a second, before it occurred to him. "I don't know… I just really wanted to see Rarity, and when it came to me, I was already in the front yard."

"So it was instinct…" the woman understood. "Tell me, have you ever heard about the Red Thread of Fate?"

"Uh… I don't think so," said Spike. "Why, what is it?"

"It's an Asian belief system that says that two people are bound from birth by means of an invisible red thread," explained the woman. "Who knows? Maybe in some past life, the two of you had a very strong relationship." Then she shifted one hand to his. "But remember one thing; just because you had something strong in one life doesn't mean it will have carried over to this one. You have to learn to let go of your past."

" _If that's the case, I just wish my past would learn to let go of_ _ **me**_ _,_ " thought Spike, knowing that even if he did remember his past life, this Thread was still strong.

In the other room, Pinkie had just tied some of Sci-Twi's hair into a pigtail and was brushing it. "It's getting kinda late," she said. "We should probably head home, Sci-Twi."

"Yes, Ms. Pinkie," the clone replied.

"Ohhh no ya don't!" said Rainbow, grabbing one of the clone's arms. "She's not going anywhere with you. I can already imagine what you'd do to her!"

"Aw cmon, how is that fair?! I'm no psycho!" said Pinkie as the two started playing tug-of-war with the clone, who was staring at Fluttershy as if asking for help, but the shy girl just sweatdropped. Then Spike came in behind her.

"Hey Fluttershy, do you mind if Sci-Twi and I stay over for the night?" he asked.

"What? Are you serious?" asked Fluttershy, surprised.

"Cmon dwarf, you've gotta be kidding me," said Rainbow.

"Please, I… I just want to be here when Rarity wakes up," said Spike with genuine concern in his voice.

Fluttershy thought for a second before turning to the older woman. "Can they stay?"

"I suppose so," she shrugged. "But we'd have to get them accommodated as we don't have enough rooms."

"What!? Cmon Ms. Shy, you've gotta be kidding me. This kid's a total pervert," said Rainbow.

"Hey! I am not!" yelled Spike.

"Yes, you are!" Rainbow retorted.

This continued for a few seconds as Fluttershy gave a weak chuckle. "Calm down, Rainbow," she said. "He's just staying this one night. It's for Rarity after all."

"What?!" asked Rainbow in defeat. "Well at least give him his own room." Fluttershy looked over her shoulder and bit her lip, giving Rainbow all she needed to work with. "AW, COME ON!"

Later on, she and Pinkie had both left for their homes letting everyone get changed to sleep. "This is some sort of sick joke, right Fluttershy?" asked Spike.

"Heheheh… sorry, Spike. I don't have any brothers, so no boys clothes," she said innocently. "At least these fit you. And thank heaven too; I haven't worn them since I was eleven." Spike was wearing a pink shirt with a bunny on it and his blue boxers.

"Ah, I guess it's alright," said Spike before murmuring. "Should've brought my own pajamas." Then he saw Sci-Twi standing off to the side with a phone, clicking pictures. "Dammit Twi, don't do that!"

"I'm sorry, but Ms. Fluttershy ordered me to," the clone said innocently.

"What?! Why?!" asked Spike, embarrassed.

"I'm sorry Spike, you just look so cute!" said Fluttershy.

"Ugh. Alright fine; just because you let us stay here, I'll let it slide," said Spike. "But you cannot show Rainbow."

"O-Okay. I promise," It was so unlucky Fluttershy wasn't the Bearer of Honesty or she would be forced not to cross her fingers behind her back. Looking around, Spike was surprised.

"Y'know, call me crazy but I always figured your house would be full of pets. Or at the very least, your room," he said. "But all I've seen since I got here was stuffed animals. What gives?"

"I've always been against holding animals in captivity," said Fluttershy, nuzzling a large white stuffed rabbit. "They deserve to live free in this world. But I love animals so much that I figured I should at least have adorable plushies of them."

"Oh okay," said Spike. "On another note, you never told me you had such a nice sister."

"Sister?" asked Fluttershy.

"Yeah y'know, the girl who let me in," said Spike, pointing to the kitchen. "Isn't she your sister?"

Fluttershy laughed. "No Spike, I don't have a sister. That was my mom."

"Your mom?!" asked Spike, rightly surprised. "But she's so young! Cmon, she's gotta be at least a _little_ older than Celeste."

"Yes, I'm pretty sure she's about six years younger than my mom," said Fluttershy, setting out two sleeping bags as a faux bed.

"Seriously? Well, how old was she when you were born?" asked Spike.

"Fourteen, give or take," said Fluttershy.

"Yeesh," Okay at this point, I think we can all agree with Spike when he thinks that Fluttershy's family is messed up. And we'll learn how much so in a few seconds. "Well, what about your dad?"

"I never met him," she explained. "We're from Guarenas in Venezuela. That's where my mother met him. She tells me that they were terribly in love, but when his parents found out she was pregnant with me, they took him away. My mother's raised me herself ever since. She got a job a few years ago that moved us up here, so that's why we live here."

"Don't you wanna find out where he is now?" asked Spike.

"No! My mother and I are doing just fine without him, and- Look, can we just not talk about this anymore?!" asked Fluttershy.

"Uh, o-ok!" said Spike, rationally terrified. " _Sheesh. Never thought Fluttershy could be so terrifying when she was mad._ "

"Uh, s-sorry Spike," said Fluttershy, realizing her outburst. "Anyway, I hope you don't mind that we'll have to sleep on the floor together."

"Ah, don't worry about it," said Spike. "I'm just staying to take care of Rarity."

"You really like her, don't you?" asked Fluttershy, surprising Spike a bit.

He gave a dry chuckle. "Is it that obvious?"

"To me at least," she said. "The others don't seem to realize it, but I know how you feel. I've been where you've been; having the person you love so close to you and not being able to tell them out of fear of their reaction…"

Spike was surprised. "That's exactly it," he said. "How'd you know that?"

Fluttershy just gave a nervous chuckle as she climbed into the bed she'd set up. "Well, sweet dreams Spike. Gotta get up early for school tomorrow."

Spike was curious, but he just decided to follow suit. "Yeah… I guess you're right," he said. "Hey Sci-Twi, can you get the lights?" She quickly flicked the switch and then flumped down on the bed between him and Fluttershy. "Uh, what're you doing?"

"Ms. Rainbow ordered me to separate you by a distance of one meter. And that there would be no physical contact of any kind," she said.

"Rainbow ordered that?" asked Spike, already knowing why as Fluttershy sweatdropped.

"Yes. And by the way, what does pervert mean?" she asked.

Spike cringed. "Just go to sleep, Sci-Twi," he said.

"Yes, Master Spike," she said, quickly following his order and falling asleep.

"'Master Spike'?" asked Fluttershy.

"Just ignore her," Spike chuckled in embarrassment. Hours later, midnight had passed and the whole house was asleep. All except Spike, as he was watching the unconscious Rarity sleep.

" _It's all my fault you're like this,_ " he thought. " _If only I'd given you the horn then…_ " He remembered four days ago when Zecora had given him the headband. "What's this thing?"

"It's a unicorn horn, just like the one Twilight has," said Zecora. "When Celestia sent Equestria's souls to this world, those who had been unicorns had had these horns made for them automatically. This one is Rarity's. Essentially, it increases the frequency of the pineal gland, which will allow her to materialize magic in this world without transforming. I need you to give it to her."

"Piece of cake. I didn't think she had one before," said Spike. "I'm sure she'll be happy to have it." Then he noticed the ruby tied to the horn was shining, which made him confused.

"You alright?" asked Zecora.

"Yeah, it's just… I felt something weird from this ruby," said Spike.

"Interesting," said Zecora. "You know what it is."

"Oh yeah, I've always been interested in gemstones," he said. "Once I've grown up, I plan on studying gemology."

 **Sonic Prime: In case you're wondering, yes that** _ **is**_ **the official term for the study of gemstones. Who knew, right?**

Zecora gave a small chuckle. "Some things never change, I guess," she said.

"But, why's it shining like this?" asked Spike.

"Ah! Now it makes sense," said Zecora. "That Jewel never reacted like this until you touched it just now. That means it belongs to you, Spike. That ruby is Equestrian, so that means you're from that realm, just like the others."

"I lived there too?" asked Spike. "But wait, if this ruby is mine, why is it tied to Rarity's horn?"

"In my tribe back in Africa, there were many legends related to Equestria," said Zecora. "Of them all, I believe I think the most currently relevant is 'The Dragon and the Unicorn'."

"Dragon?" asked Spike.

"Yes," said Zecora, and she recounted the story. "In a village in Equestria, there lived a small, noble dragon. He always worked to assist a certain lavender unicorn and her friends. He wanted to show them and the whole realm how good he was at his work, helping the whole town once or twice. But it was almost all secretly to impress the beautiful white unicorn with shining purple hair that he loved since first sight. He was so smitten that he gave her his most precious jewel; the Fire Ruby. This Jewel, to be exact. The unicorn thanked the dragon without thinking by giving him a kiss on his cheek, making him love her even more. Now I'm sure you know that dragons are known for their greed and how they cling to what they find valuable.

"This dragon was no exception as little by little, he became selfish and greedy. But what he considered valuable was not gold or jewels; he only wanted this beautiful unicorn's love. His greed festered into jealousy of such a degree that he could not bear to see her with others of the town. And as his jealousy grew, he did as well, becoming an unstoppable monster of rage and greed. After a time, the people felt the horror of a lovesick dragon scorned. The only ones who could stop him were his lavender friend and his beloved, who used their magic to seal away his fury in the in the object that started the whole thing in the first place; the Fire Ruby. The dragon was so ashamed of what happened that he swore never to wish for anything ever again, not even love.

"But in secret, in the depths of his soul, he swore a covenant to himself; he swore that if his beloved were ever in danger, he would be there and he would use that fury, not to destroy senselessly, but to protect her," The story was finished, but Zecora wasn't done talking yet. "That dragon is you, Spike. And I think you've already guessed who that unicorn is."

"But… how can you be so sure about that? Any of it?" asked Spike.

"You can feel whenever Rarity suffers, can you not?" asked Zecora.

"Wait, what?!" asked Spike.

"Yes. You see, to make this covenant, you created a connection between your soul and hers," she explained. "Thus when she suffers, your soul detects it, alerting you with an internal pain in your chest like a sword."

"That's what that's been?" asked Spike, putting his hand on where the pain always hit him. "I thought I just had some sort of heart problem."

"If that were the case, then you've been feeling it in the wrong place," said Zecora. "Your heart's a little more to the left. Your soul is right there in the center of your chest. So when Rarity suffers, your soul sends signals to your brain to make it feel as if someone just stabbed you in the chest with a jagged dagger and twisted."

"Then it's real? Rarity and I are… connected?" asked Spike.

"I'm not sure if it's two-way or not, but it's definite in your case," said Zecora. "Whatever she feels; joy, sorrow, suffering, you feel it. Because it's what you wanted?"

"So, will I be able to use it like my sister and the others use their Jewels?" asked Spike.

"I'm not sure," said Zecora. "Why do you ask?"

"The stone just reminds me of something that happened when Rarity was first awakened," said Spike, remembering the words of the alicorn that had spoken to him. "My sister summoned the spirit of Fausticorn, and she told me that if I ever came across a heart-shaped ruby that I should never use it for any reason. I'm almost positive she was talking about this."

"Hmm… Perhaps it was just because of your age," said Zecora. "She must've feared that you wouldn't have been able to control its power. Whatever the case, remember that this gem's power is yours and yours alone, so only you can access it since you swore to be her guardian for all eternity."

His flashback ended as he stared down at Rarity with longing and concern in his heart. " _I'm her guardian…_ " he thought, moving a hand to hers. " _Rarity's guardian…_ "


	38. Chapter 9 part 3

**Chapter 9 part 3**

The next morning, Spike and Sci-Twi were walking home with Spike still feeling guilty for what happened to Rarity. " _Rarity… Forgive me…_ " he thought.

Just moments before, Rarity had woken up and Fluttershy had explained the series of events after she was knocked out on the beach. "… And that's basically all of it," she finished. "And why you're in my house."

"I see," said Rarity. "Thank you, Fluttershy."

"The important thing is that you're okay," said Spike.

Fluttershy chuckled. "Spike didn't leave your side since he got here," she said. "He watched over you all night."

Rarity was visibly surprised, and Spike was freaked. "Ehh, it's… what I would've done for anyone…" He said with a nervous chuckle.

"It's still unacceptable that I should be the one to cause you all these inconveniences. I'm so useless," Rarity said forlornly. "I'm the oldest out of all of us. I should be the one protecting all of you, not the other way around. If only I was Twilight's level and had more powerful magic, none of this would've happened."

" _If only I'd given her the horn the day Zecora gave it to me, she would've had time to perfect her magic,_ " thought Spike. " _Some guardian I turned out to be._ "

Meanwhile, at Fluttershy's house, Rarity was currently getting her clothes back on. "So you mean he feels guilty for what happened to me?" she asked.

"Yeah, but I have no idea why," said Fluttershy.

"I swear that boy can be so odd sometimes," said Rarity. "But you still haven't told me what he was doing here in the first place. Why did he insist on staying?"

Fluttershy gave a nervous chuckle. "He had his reasons,"

"Oh well, whatever," said Rarity. "On another note, who washed my uniform?"

"My mom did," said Fluttershy. "They were full of sand, so I had to lend you one of my pajama shirts for you to sleep in."

"I see," said Rarity. "Many thanks, Fluttershy."

"No need," said Fluttershy, looking at the shirt, trying to see if it was stretched. "Though it was a bit of a tight fit because of your huge-" Just before she finished that phrase, she saw that Rarity was looking at her with an expression that clearly said; " _Finish that sentence, I gut you like sheep_ ". That was more than reason enough for Fluttershy to get scared and give a nervous chuckle. "We should probably get to school."

Later on, Spike and Sci-Twi had just arrived at their apartment. "Mom, Dad, we're home!" called Spike, but got no answer. "Oh, they must be at work." Then he glanced at the clock. "Sweet, we've still got time before we have to get to school. Okay Sci-Twi, I'm gonna go get a bath while you do what you usually do. Then once I'm done in the bathroom, you go take a shower, okay?"

"Yes, Master Spike?" asked Sci-Twi. "Whatever you say."

"Uh, about that whole 'Master Spike' thing…" he said. "No more of that in front of the girls, okay?"

"Why not?" asked Sci-Twi.

"I dunno, it just sounds really weird to me," said Spike.

"But I like to address you that way because I love my dear Master Spike very much," said Sci-Twi.

Spike just gave a half-hearted chuckle. " _Pinkie… what the hell did you teach her?_ "

Meanwhile, in a park near the apartment complex, Twilight and Zecora suddenly appeared with Twilight doubling over. "Oh god, I think I'm gonna hurl."

"You're not used to teleportation yet," said Zecora. "Once you level up, I'll teach you so you can track down the monsters faster."

"Yeah, and it'll make getting to school way easier too," said Twilight.

"You know that the magic Celeste and I teach you is not to be used for such trivial matters, Twilight," said Zecora.

"I was being sarcastic," said Twilight.

"I should also teach you the lie-detector spell," said Zecora. "It comes in really handy sometimes."

Twilight chuckled nervously. "Okay, how about we move on to something else?" she said, quickly changing the subject. "So are you sure all the darkness has been excised?"

"Yes. Although just to be safe, I'd advise against getting too angry for the next few days," said Zecora.

"I will," Twilight replied. "And thank you for taking time to teach me these last few days. Now I can cast two spells at once. That's gonna make fights a lot more fun to mix stuff up."

"No need to thank me Twilight," said Zecora. "You were a quick study. Celeste nearly needed a full week to learn how to double-cast and you mastered it in under a day. But just remember, don't abuse it; you'll burn through too much spiritual energy that way."

"Understood," said Twilight. "Well, I should probably head home."

"Good idea," said Zecora. "I saw that Spike and your clone are the only ones there, so now would be as good a time as any to make the switch? Did you memorize the spell I taught you to reduce the clone to ash?"

"Backwards _and_ forwards, beginning to end," said Twilight.

"Good," said Zecora, pulling out a clay pot. "Well then, I suppose I should give you this. As a gift."

"Oh. An urn. Like the kind burned dead people are put in… Just what I wanted for Christmas…" said Twilight sarcastically.

"Can the sarcasm," said Zecora, not in the mood for this. "It's a magical amphora, so you can store your clone's ashes without having to worry about them rotting. It will also allow you to reuse the clone as many times as you want. But to do so, you'll have to combine the ashes with 20 to 25 drops of your blood and approximately 35 liters of purified water in a tub."

"So I can use it more than once?" asked Twilight. "But wait, won't that mean I'd have to teach it everything over again?"

"That shouldn't be necessary," said Zecora. "Even as ash, it will retain its human memories and what you taught it by cellular memory?"

"So will it always look like me?"

"Your blood, your genetics, your body shape," confirmed Zecora.

"So if I use someone else's blood, does that mean I can copy _them_?" asked Twilight.

"Depends on whether or not that person led a life of common negative vices of this world that could cause health problems," said Zecora. "That's why your clone was so seamless; your blood is clean. But you have to make sure that the person you want to clone is of smaller or equal size, as when you create your clone, you need to use components of the exact amount from your body. If you use the blood of someone taller than you, your clone will look the same but will have _your_ height, not theirs. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason…" said Twilight. " _I wonder if I could clone Big Mac?_ " Thinking about Mac, however, just made her give a stupid giggle.

"What was that? What are you thinking about?" asked Zecora suspiciously.

"Oh uh, nothing…" said Twilight.

"Seriously… Remind me; lie-detector spell, next on your list of stuff to learn," said Zecora bluntly.

"Uh… Oh wow, look at the time! I better get going or I'll be late," said Twilight as she grabbed her bag and the amphora and ran off. "Thanks again for everything!"

"Tsk… _Kids these days…_ " thought Zecora as she threw up her hood.

Finally Twilight returned to her apartment. "Whew! So good to be home," she said. "Alright, time to make the swap." Finding the door to her bedroom open, she moved inside. "Hey Clone, you here?" Once she laid eyes on her replicate, however, she didn't even know what to think; Sci-Twi was dressed up like a freaking maid, for crying out loud!

"Good morning, mistress!" she said jovially.

"I- I don't even- Why… are you dressed like that?" asked Twilight, becoming pissed.

"It's what I wear to do the household chores," said Sci-Twi. "It's a gift from my Master Spike."

"I'm sorry, did you just say your… 'Master Spike'?!" asked Twilight gradually increasing in anger.

"Yes, I love him o-so much," said Sci-Twi, giving a cute giggle.

Twilight just turned away and growled. "Dammit Zecora, how can I _not_ get angry at situations like this?!" she asked herself.

"You seem stressed, Mistress," said Sci-Twi. "Would you like a pleasant foot massage? It always makes my Master Spike feel good."

" _SPIKE, I AM GOING TO F**CKING MURDER YOU!_ " Twilight thought, exploding.

Later on, in another part of town, Rarity and Fluttershy were walking toward school while Rarity was talking to someone on her cell phone. "I'm terribly sorry, I was _exhausted_ yesterday and I had to go home early. You understand, right? Oh, excellent. Of course! How about recess? Very well. Till a few hours, Blueblood. Buh-bye." And with that, she hung up.

"Hey Rarity, this Blueblood person," said Fluttershy. "Is he your boyfriend?"

"We're just getting to know each other right now dear," said Rarity as she blushed and subconsciously ran a hand through her hair. "But who knows? Perhaps in the future."

"Poor Spike…" Fluttershy said quietly.

"Sorry?" asked Rarity, having not heard.

"No-nothing!" Fluttershy said quickly.

Poor Spike indeed Fluttershy, as back at his apartment, he was just getting out of the bathroom to quite possibly the worst surprise of his life. "Whoo! Oh man, that felt good." Then he saw who looked like Sci-Twi in his room, still dressed as a maid. "Huh? What're you doing in here? Cmon, go get a bath so we can get some breakfast and go."

"Yes, dear Master Spike, but before that, I was wondering if you would like me to give you a pleasant foot massage?" she said with a strange edge in her voice.

"Y'know, now that you mention it, I could use a massage," Spike chuckled, not noticing the edge. "'Sides, we've still got some time before school starts."

"Lie down and get comfortable then, 'my dear Master Spike'," said Sci-Twi, removing her maid's headpiece and replacing it with Twilight's horn-wand.

"Huh? Dang it Sci-Twi, I thought I told you not to mess with any of Twilight's stuff," said Spike as he sat down on the bed. "She goes ogre when somebody goes through her stuff. Besides, even _with_ that thing, you won't be able to use magic."

"Please at least allow me to try, Master…" Suddenly she scowled and extended her hands to Spike. "Bondage!" Then before Spike could even think, he was suddenly bound.

"What!? But how did you-?" Finally, it clicked and Spike was instantly terrified. "Twilight?!" And indeed, the obedient clone was ash in the amphora and here sat Spike's true sister, approximately 100,000,000-percent _done_ with his nonsense. "He-hey, sis! When did you get back? Cmon, what you saw was just a joke… I… I took good care of her, I swear!" But she still wouldn't listen. "MOMMA!"

"Silence!" said Twilight, touching a finger to his lips.

" _What the heck?! I can't talk!_ " he thought, and indeed his mouth was stuck shut.

"Dear Master Spike, please don't yell. It would disturb the neighbors. And I recommend you save your breath," said Twilight, sounding like Sci-Twi to start before she pulled out a heavy-duty scrubbing brush and a scrubby-sponge and took on a sadistic glare. "Because you're gonna need it!" If Spike could scream right now, he would be doing so loud enough to probably shatter every window for miles and probably even Celeste's barrier. About an hour later, the two were walking to school.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow," Spike said with every step. "Okay, feeling's coming back and it is not pleasant."

"Serves you right for treating my clone so badly," said Twilight.

"I didn't hear _her_ complaining," said Spike.

"That's because she was created to obey, idiot," said Twilight. "And what was up with calling her Sci-Twi? And the glasses? My eyes are fine, remember?"

"What was I supposed to do?" asked Spike. "Every time I wanted to give her orders, it was like looking at you and I got scared, so I decided to give her glasses and change her name."

"Spike, you can't just decide to change her appearance like she's some sort of toy," said Twilight. "Though I can _tolerate_ that. But making her call you 'master'? That's just too far."

"Hey, that part's not on me," said Spike. "Pinkie asked me if she could take her home a few nights ago because she wanted to have a sleepover with her. And I acquiesced in exchange for a cake." As of now, Twilight had a look on her face that would've terrified even the most badass of male heroes. "And the morning after, when she came back she just started calling me master… I didn't like it any more than you did but-"

"You idiot!" Twilight screamed as she grabbed him. "I told you the night before I left with Zecora; if Pinkie asks you for anything, you say NO!"

"It was a cake!" said Spike defensively.

"IT WAS PINKIE!" Twilight screeched.

"Yo, check it out; she's here!" said Rainbow.

"Finally!" said Rarity.

"Girls!" said Twilight in a sort-of happy embarrassment. "You have no idea how much I missed-" This was quickly stifled as Rainbow and Rarity each grabbed one of Twilight's arms and started pulling on her.

"Let go, Rainbow! It's my turn to have her today!" said Rarity.

"Aw cmon, I didn't get to use her yesterday!" said Rainbow.

"Well, it's hardly my fault you gave your turn to Pinkie in exchange for ice cream, isn't it?" asked Rarity.

"Oh! Hi Twilight," said Pinkie as she walked up, inflating a gum-bubble. "When did you get back?"

"Twilight?" Rainbow and Rarity both asked.

"Uh… yeah. Hi," she said unamused.

"Dang dwarf! Why didn't you warn us?" asked Rainbow.

"Why would I wanna warn _you_ of all people?" asked Spike.

Twilight readjusted herself and cleared her throat. "Rarity, I believe I heard you say something about taking turns to use my clone," she said flatly. "Care to explain?"

"I… only used her as a mannequin," she said nervously. "I'm creating a new line of children's clothing and you seem to have the body of an 11-year old, it seemed just perfect…" Twilight wasn't sure whether to be enraged or flattered… though she did err on the side of enraged. "Rainbow took advantage of her too!"

"Okay, so I had her carry the bag with my training weights," she said simply. "But you can't blame me; she's _really_ strong."

"You mean you used her as a pack-mule?" asked Twilight gradually growing angrier.

"Nah, mules get tired," said Rainbow. "I'd say she's more like a cart. But hey, we weren't the only ones."

"What?! Fluttershy, don't tell me you used her too!" said Twilight.

Fluttershy chuckled nervously. "I only asked her to dig holes for me in the park, maybe like a dog, so I could plant some saplings. I would've myself, but my hands are delicate and hers' were more like a man's." Then she caught that. "Uh, s-sorry." Then Twilight's eyes shifted over to Pinkie, who was still blowing up her bubblegum.

"And you! What did you do to her?!" she asked in fury, making the bubble pop in fear.

"Uh… well I-"

"No! Don't say it!" said Twilight. "Out of all of you, I don't even want to _think_ about what you might've done!"

Pinkie blinked before she wiped her forehead with her arm. " _Phew! Dodged a bullet there,_ " she thought.

"That's not how good friends are supposed to act," said Twilight. "You only had to take care of her, not take advantage of her naivete."

" _Oh great,_ " the others all thought. " _This already?_ "

"Hey Pinkie, I gotta ask," said Spike. "How'd you know it was the real Twilight and not the clone?"

"Oh, that was easy," said Pinkie. "It was her scent."

"Her what?" asked Spike, confused.

"Yeah! Sci-Twi smells like soil and wet grass like a spring morning in the field," said Pinkie happily, with the others all agreeing. "Whereas Twilight smells like old books and stuffy air like a boring Monday at school."

"You're making it _very_ hard for me to not lose my temper here, I hope you realize that!" growled Twilight.

Pinkie quickly did realize that and grabbed Twilight in a hug. "But either way, you should still know that we all love you as the great friend we all know you are," she said, totally not sucking up to her because she liked living.

Rarity just gave a nervous chuckle. "What say we all go get some breakfast before school? Then you can tell us all about what happened with Ms. Zecora and your sister."

"Great idea! I'm so curious to hear what you learned," said Fluttershy.

"Same! Plus, it would be wrong us to not take advantage of Rarity buying us all breakfast," smirked Rainbow.

"What?! Since when was it on me?" asked Rarity.

"Yeah, that actually sounds really good," said Twilight, thinking. "I need to get my strength and catch up on the school stuff I missed out on."

"Speaking of which Twilight, the cheer-team entrance exam is today," said Pinkie looking at her planner. "Don't miss it."

"What?! When was I on the cheer-team?!" asked Twilight, terrified.

"Not you. Sci-Twi," said Pinkie. "But since you took her place…"

"I am not! Cheerleading!" said Twilight insistently.

"Boo! You should try and be more like Sci-Twi; she never complained about the things we made her do…" said Pinkie.

"Stop that!" growled Twilight as they, Rainbow and Fluttershy walked ahead. "Whenever I remember you took turns to abuse her, I imagine the worst! Especially with you!"

"Hey Rarity, can I talk to you about something really quick? It's important," said Spike.

"Is now really the best time, Darling?" asked Rarity. She was doing her best not to sound offensive, but she wasn't sure if Spike understood that or not.

"No. It can wait…" That just cemented this belief.

"We can talk tomorrow," she suggested. "It's Friday today, so we'll have all the time we want."

"Yeah… Tomorrow's good," said Spike sadly.

"Excellent! Now let's go catch up with the others," said Rarity as she walked off after the others.

Meanwhile, in Ponyville Central Park, Zecora was using her magic for something in the bushes. "Yes, this area is very fertile," she said. "The perfect place for my Timberwolves. It may take a day for them to fully mature, but once they do they will be _exemplary_." Then strange roots started growing out of the ground as Zecora's eyes started glowing pale green. "Grow quickly, my pets. _For once the sun rises tomorrow, your performance will be rewarded with the awakening of a Godkiller…_ "

 **BUM-BUM-BUUUUUMMM- DRAMATIC REVERB!**

 **Sonic Prime: Ooo-kay, that was random. Anyway yeah, this is probably not a good sign.**


	39. Chapter 9 part 4

**Chapter 9 part 4**

The next day, Spike had managed to make it out to Rarity's house across the park from his apartment. " _Cmon Spike, you can't delay this any longer,_ " he thought. " _You have to give her the horn_ _ **today**_ _. She's gonna kill me for not doing it sooner._ " With that sentiment in mind, he pressed the doorbell which gave a pleasant jingle before Rarity opened the door and stuck out her head, which was wrapped in something white.

"I thought I told you to take the house key," she said almost exasperatedly but was surprised by who she saw. "Spike? What're you doing here?"

"You said we could talk today, remember?" asked Spike.

"Darling, why didn't you just wait for me to get to your apartment?" she asked. "Did you forget what the girls and I agreed on before school? We're supposed to meet to devise a plan to convince Applejack to join us."

"That's why I came," said Spike. "You'll be too busy once you're there to talk to me."

Rarity sighed. "Well, you're here already, so I suppose you raise a fair point," she said moving and closing the door. "Please come in."

"Thanks," said Spike as he walked in and let out a low whistle. "Nice place you got here."

"Well thank you, but I'm afraid you've come at a rather inopportune time," said Rarity as she closed the door.

"What do you mean?" asked Spike, looking back at her. His question was quickly answered by what he saw; Rarity had her body wrapped in one towel and her hair in another.

She cleared her throat as she adjusted her head-towel. "Yes, I'm afraid you appeared just as I was getting out of a _very_ soothing bath."

"AAH!" yelled Spike, closing his eyes and raising his bag in front of him. "Sorry! Sorry! I swear I didn't know! I didn't see anything!"

Rarity just sighed at him. "It's okay Spike, don't worry about it," she said. "Trust me, if you were my age or older, I'd be embarrassed. But you _are_ still just a child, so there are no hard feelings."

Spike chuckled nervously, still beet-red. "Yeah, you're right."

"Well, if you'll excuse me I'm going to go get dressed," Rarity said as she left the room. "Please, sit down and we can talk once I'm decent."

"Ok… Take your time," said Spike. " _Thank you, Lord, for letting me see the perfection of my soulmate._ " Then the door closed behind him.

"Rarity, I'm home!" said Sweetie Belle, walking in with a bag of groceries. Then she and Spike saw each other and she smiled. "Hey, Spike!"

"Gah! You again?! What're you doing here?" asked Spike, not thinking about it.

"Uh, I'm Rarity's sister, remember?" she asked as she put down the groceries. "Better question is why are you here?" Then she snickered as she slipped over to him. "Oho, I know. You came to see me, didn't you my little slave?"

"Of course not," said Spike. "I came to see Rarity. And quit calling me your slave."

"Are you kidding me?" asked Sweetie. "You're _still_ lovesick for my sister?"

"I don't see how that's any of your beeswax," Spike knew he was blushing, but he didn't care as long as she stopped bugging him.

"Wait for a second," said Sweetie, remembering something. "Rarity takes her morning bath at around this time. Ugh, you little perv. You came to spy on her didn't you?"

"What? Of course not," said Spike. "Who do you think I am?"

Sweetie just smirked. "Hey, you want me to take a pic of her in her room right freakin' now?" she asked. "It'll be pricey, but all worth it."

"What?! You'd do that to your own sister?!" asked Spike terrified, quickly shaking his head. "No! No! No! You do _not_ do that to your blood!"

"You didn't say that the first time I offered you a picture of her," she said simply.

"Hey, that was different," said Spike. "You offered me a bikini-picture, but a full-on nude? That's just too much!" (Well at least he's got standards.) "Besides, I don't need it. I've already seen more than enough…" (…I stand corrected.)

"God, you're such a perv," Sweetie rolled her eyes as Rarity walked out wearing a black top and jeans.

"Ah. Sweetie Belle, you're back. Good," she said, squeeze-drying her hair into a washcloth. "I've been wanting to ask you something; Do you know what happened to that beach-trip picture from when I was four? It was in my box of memories a few days ago but it just disappeared."

" _When she was-?_ " Spike suddenly remembered that Sweetie had sold him that picture at the park a few days prior. " _Oh, crap._ "

"Sorry, haven't seen it," said Sweetie, smirking at Spike. "Maybe you gave it to one of your friends."

" _Bitch!_ " thought Spike, putting the pieces together.

"Of course not! I'd never show my friends something so personal," said Rarity. "Besides, if I ever found out that one of my friends had one of my pictures without my consent, I'd never speak to them again." Spike seized at that, knowing his chances were doomed if Rarity found out he had that picture.

"Hmm… Gimme a minute, I might remember," said Sweetie.

"Alright, I'll be doing my hair in the meanwhile," said Rarity as she left again.

"You said you found that picture in a VHS box!" Spike whispered.

"So I lied. Sue me," shrugged Sweetie.

"Belle, if Rarity ever finds out _I_ had that photo, she's gonna hate me for the rest of her life!" Spike said terrified. "And it'll be your fault!"

"Hey, if I knew that was one of her favorite pictures, I would've charged more for it," She was quickly interrupted by Spike covering her mouth.

"Shut up, I got an idea!" he said.

"Already? Wow, you're fast," said Sweetie.

"Thanks, now shut up and listen;" he explained. "Rarity and I will go to my place so she can talk to the others, and while she's doing that, I'll snag the photo out of my room and run it back here to you. Then you leave it her room and no one the wiser."

"That's genius, Spike!" said Sweetie. "You're so smart!"

"Oh, I'm well aware," he smirked.

"30 bucks," said Sweetie, making Spike's cockiness fade.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" he asked.

"You heard me," said Sweetie Belle. "Gimme 30 bucks and I'll leave the photo in her room."

"What?! You're charging me for _this?!_ You're the one who sold me the picture in the first place!" said Spike.

"Hey, I don't care if Rarity has it or not, or if she hates you for the rest of her life," she shrugged.

"You cannot do this to me!" said Spike. "Besides, I don't have 30 bucks."

"You're smart; get creative," said Sweetie. "If you can't pay me, you could… I dunno, take me to the park or beach or something."

"What, you mean like a date?" asked Spike.

"I'd prefer to call it a good deal," said Sweetie.

"Yeah, for you maybe," said Spike. "I'm pretty sure that if I take you out, you're just gonna make me buy you more stuff. And in the long run, that's worse than just paying you here."

"You don't really have much choice, y'know," said Sweetie. Finally, Rarity came out wearing a yellow and black jacket with white feathers on the bottom and black boots.

"Alright, I'm ready," she said. "So Sweetie, do you remember where my picture is?"

"Hmm… Lemme think…" she said, making Spike even more nervous.

"Ugh, alright you win," he whispered. "How's tomorrow at around this time sound?"

"Nope! Haven't seen it, sis," she said, giving a little snicker.

"Oh well, I guess I'll just look for it later," said Rarity. "Now then Spike, what was it that brought you all this way?"

"Ehh… I'd rather talk about it in private," said Spike, looking at Sweetie.

"If you think I'm leaving you alone with my sister, you're dead wrong, little slave," she replied.

"If it concerns me and the others, there's no need to worry," said Rarity. "She knows."

"Wait, you told her about the Elements?" asked Spike.

"Of course. Didn't Fluttershy tell you the other night?" asked Rarity. "They _had_ to tell her so she could come up with an excuse for our parents."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" asked Spike, casting her a sidelong glare. "She could always blackmail you."

"Oh cmon Spike, I'm not _that_ mean," she replied.

"Oh, don't worry darling," said Rarity slyly. "She won't tell anyone, because if she does, _I'll_ spill _her_ deepest secret."

"Wha- Rarity!" said Sweetie, embarrassed.

"Well, if you say so," said Spike, reaching into his bag. "So listen; a few days ago, Zecora gave me something that she said belonged to you." With that, he pulled out the horn but the ruby was gone, leaving an empty gold frame. "With this on hand, you'll be able to use magic without having to transform."

"Oh! So you guys really _are_ magic superheroes?" asked Sweetie. "I thought that was just a cover-up for some awesome secret party or something."

"This is mine? And you've had it since Twilight's fight with Trixie?" asked Rarity. "Spike, you are such…!"

" _And here it comes!_ " he thought, going straight to the worst-case scenario. " _She's never gonna talk to me again after this, I can feel it!_ " But not as much as he felt her breasts on his head as she hugged him into her chest.

"An amazing friend!" she finished, stunning both him _and_ Sweetie Belle.

"Wait, y-you're not mad?" asked Spike.

"Why would I be?" asked Rarity. "You've given me something greatly valuable. Now I can use my magic whenever I want!"

"Right? Now you can train as much as you want to power up and get more powerful than the monsters," said Spike.

"What? Well, yes there's that, but now I can also give myself a manicure and brush my hair at the same time!" said Rarity, making Spike and Sweetie do an anime-style pratfall before sitting back up.

" _God, I love you,_ " thought Spike before he saw Sweetie Belle looked a bit sour. "What's with you?"

"You didn't bring _me_ anything," she said.

"Why would I?" he asked.

"Because you're my slave," she said simply.

"No, I'm not!" yelled Spike.

Then Rarity noticed the gem-rig on the horn. "That's odd. It looks like there was something embedded in here."

"Hey yeah, you're right," said Sweetie, seeing it as well.

"Oh… You think so?" Spike asked with a nervous chuckle. "Zecora gave it to me like that." Naturally, he was lying; he had removed the Fire Ruby earlier and had it hidden in his bag. " _Sorry Rarity… I can't get rid of the Jewel. Now that I know I'm your guardian, it belongs to me._ "

"Well Spike, I think it's high time we left," said Rarity. "The others are waiting for me at your apartment."

"Wait Rarity, please just tell me already;" said Sweetie. "When can I enroll at your school?" Then she smirked at Spike. "Now I'm even more interested in applying…"

" _Mommy…_ " he thought in fear.

"Belle, I've told you a dozen times already," said Rarity. "As long as I'm student-council president, you will not be allowed to attend."

"But why not?" asked Sweetie, leaning on Spike's head which ticked him off.

"Because I know you too well, little sister," said Rarity. "I know how naughty you can be, and I'm sure you'll get yourself into trouble more than once, and the council will ask me to discipline you. And you know I can't do that to you."

"That's not fair," said Sweetie sadly.

" _I'd beg to differ,_ " thought Spike.

"Look on the plus-side;" said Rarity. "You'll be able to apply in a few weeks since I've decided to retire from the council."

"Really?! In that case, I wanna be in Spike's class!" said Sweetie.

"WHAAAAT?!" asked Spike, naturally terrified. "B-B-But Rarity, you do an amazing job as president!"

"I'm aware," said Rarity. "But now that I'm a bearer, I can't do _everything_ else. I was already causing myself too much undue stress, and besides; I won't be leaving my work at the shelter or my dream of becoming a professional seamstress, much less my job at the boutique. All I _can_ leave behind without repercussions is the council. I know there are others who can do just as good a job as I have."

Sweetie squealed in joy as she grabbed Spike in a hug. "We'll have so much fun, Spiky! Imagine all the group work we'll get to do together!"

"Ooh… Apple Bloom's not gonna like this…" said Spike, making Sweetie freeze.

"Who's Apple Bloom?" she asked.

A few minutes later at Twilight's apartment, Twilight was just getting off the phone with Rarity after she called to explain why she would be a bit late. "Tsk… Leave it to the 'little princess' to make us wait," said Rainbow, chewing on a twig.

"That's weird; she said Spike was with her," said Twilight, putting her phone down.

"Agh! I can't believe your luck Fluttershy!" said Pinkie as the two were playing poker. "Seven times straight?!"

"It's just luck Pinkie," said Fluttershy. "But seriously, can we stop betting please?"

"Where's the fun in playing if you don't have something to lose?" asked Pinkie. "Okay, tell ya what; I'm broke so how about if I bet my undies?"

"Ew, no. I don't want your underwear Pinkie," said Fluttershy.

"Alright. But if I win, you have to give me yours just so I can see the look on your face." Pinkie smirked.

"Uh… I think I'm done playing," said Fluttershy as she moved away.

"I don't get it; why would Spike go to Rarity's if she was just gonna come here?" said Twilight.

"You've been outta the loop for a few days," said Rainbow. "Lemme give you the basics: your brother's been spending a lot of time with her; helping her with her sewing job and even at the shelter every Wednesday."

"Really?" asked Twilight. "He never told me that."

"Who knows? Maybe he sees Rarity as his new big sister…" smirked Rainbow.

"What?!" asked Twilight.

"I'm kidding! God, relax will ya Twi?" she laughed, but too late; Twilight was already thinking up a worst-case scenario.

Back with Rarity and Spike, they were hiking through the park to the apartment because as Spike had said, it was faster.

"Say, Spike, I know I asked you this when we first met, but seriously, are you sure we haven't met before then?" she asked.

"I honestly think I'd remember talking to you before, Rarity," said Spike.

"It's so strange. And for some reason, you just look so familiar," she said before thinking about something else. "By the way, do you have any idea where you're from? Twilight told me you were adopted as a baby, and it's very easy to tell since compared to you, your family seems less Oriental."

"I don't know," said Spike. "I've never asked Mom or Dad if they ever knew my real parents. All I know is they found me in a hospital in Tokyo."

"Hmm. Well then perhaps your father was some part of the west and your mother was Japanese," theorized Rarity.

"Heck if I know," said Spike. "How about you, Rarity? You from here?"

"No, my family is French," she explained. "We just moved up here about six years ago."

"Oh. Neat," said Spike. Suddenly Rarity's cell phone, which she was keeping in her butt pocket (this will be relevant in just a few minutes), started ringing.

"Oh. Excuse me a moment Spike, I have to take this," she said, pulling it out.

"Yeah, go ahead," he said as she answered.

"Yes?" she asked. "Blueblood! Lovely to hear from you. How are you today? Just fine myself, thank you very much." Spike was a bit behind her but even then he could tell her heartbeat was speeding up talking to him as she blushed and giggled. "Yes I enjoyed your company yesterday as well. Oh, sorry I can't today. No, I'm heading to a friend's house. No, we agreed that we and our other friends would meet for something important. But I can assure you that we can see each other tomorrow. Alright, take care darling. Buh-bye." With that, she hung up and put her phone back.

"Hey uh… was that your boyfriend?" asked Spike.

"No, not yet," Rarity ran a hand through her hair in subconscious embarrassment. "We only met three days ago, when I went to buy food for the shelter. He likes to help out there as well. I think he's a good person… I just hope our relationship goes well, as I haven't had much luck with love in my life."

Spike figured he would probably regret asking this, but he did anyway. "When was your _first_ love?" Rarity froze at this question and nearly stumbled, scaring Spike. "R-Rarity?"

"Forgive me Spike, that just… took me a bit off-guard," she said before she remembered. "Yes, my first love was with a boy the same age as I. It was when my family first moved here. As you can probably tell, I've always developed faster than other girls. By the time I was ten years old, I already looked like I was fifteen. I first met him when I was late getting home last night. There were some men in the street who wanted to, ehm… well for lack of a better term, hurt me. That was when he showed up and helped me get away. After that, we talked and talked all night long. It was the first time we'd ever met, but it was as if he knew me the whole time. And in the end… he kissed me. My first. I felt something that I've never felt with any other boys. My heart raced and my body shuddered, yet my mind and spirit were at peace. I only ever felt one of those sensations with other boys, but I only experienced both with him. I loved him truly… but it devolved into hate."

"What? Why, what happened?" asked Spike.

"He left me one night while we were sleeping," she said. "I heard him say he wasn't from here, that he had to leave… and that I'd forgive him. Then he kissed me on the forehead and left. I almost thought it was all a dream, but that was the last I ever saw of him. I truly thought he was the one I would be happiest with, but it was a mistake to believe in love at that age. I was a meek girl, wanting to live a fairy tale. It's his fault that I felt love was a lie, and if it weren't for that old man helping my mother after her accident, I would've been selfish and stubborn until now."

" _I can feel how your heart hurts, Rarity,_ " thought Spike. " _It's weird; I always thought you'd have a life filled with love and friendship, not loneliness and disillusion._ "

Rarity cleared her throat. "Uh, forgive me for boring you Spike, but you're the first person I've ever felt I could trust enough to tell that."

"Hey, don't worry about it," he replied. "You never bore me. I'm just glad you can trust me that much." With that, he moved to take her hand in his. "And I know you'll find that special someone someday."

Rarity blushed and gave a kind giggle. "Thank you, Spike. You're too kind," Then something occurred to her. "By the way, is there anyone that _you_ like at school?"

"What?!" asked Spike, almost stunned by the question, but he quickly regained _some_ composure. "Uh, well… there actually _is_ someone who I want to be able to share my first kiss with."

"That's very nice Spike," said Rarity in understanding. "Why didn't you tell me you were interested in someone? Eh do tell, who is it? Do I know her? I promise I won't tell anyone, not even Twilight."

Spike gave a nervous chuckle as he sweatdropped. "You _might_ know her…"

"Well, have you told her you like her?" asked Rarity.

"No… not yet," said Spike. "I'm worried she won't accept it."

"Well that simply won't do," said Rarity. "If you just keep it to yourself, you'll never know how she feels. Who knows, maybe the feelings are mutual. As a woman myself, I can assure you that we like men that aren't afraid to express their emotions."

" _Ah hell, she's right,_ " thought Spike. " _Cmon Spike, be brave for once and just tell her!_ " With that he turned to her, stopped and grabbed her hand, greatly surprising her. "Rarity! There's something I need to tell you. I…" Unfortunately, he couldn't finish this thought as Rarity spotted something.

"Hold that thought, Spike, we've got company," This company being giant wolf-golems made of wood. Quickly Rarity put her bag down, transformed and faced them. "Blast! Why did they have to show up now? Spike, stay behind me!" He didn't need to be told twice as he scooted back. "Great Wall!" With one fluid motion of her hands, a massive stone wall rose between the two and the wolves.

"You think you can handle these things yourself?" asked Spike.

"I doubt it," she said candidly. "Three-on-one aren't exactly odds I'm a fan of. Our only option is to hold them back until the others get here."

" _Just as I expected,_ " thought Zecora, watching from her levitated position up-on high. " _Just the two of them against a pack of Timberwolves? Ha! I couldn't ask for a better set of circumstances to rebirth a destroyer._ "

"How're they gonna know what's going on? Do you know who to talk telepathically?" asked Spike.

"Not yet, but I think I have another idea," said Rarity. "Grab my phone and call Twilight." One problem with that; her phone was still in her back pocket.

"Ehh… are you sure about that? I don't want you to think I'm-"

"Is now really the best time for me to worry about you touching me?" asked Rarity. "Just get your phone and call your sister!"

"Well uh… if you insist," said Spike, blushing like a tomato. "Just keep that wall going."

"That's what I'm doing," she said. " _I just pray they aren't strong enough to break it down._ " She may have denied being worried about it, but once she actually did feel Spike's hands on her butt, she blushed a small bit. But when they only moved harder onto it, she started getting annoyed. "Spike, will you please stop taking advantage of the moment?! Why are you taking so long just to get my phone?!"

"Hey, it's not my fault your butt's so big! Your phone's stuck!" Suddenly he caught his words and grimaced. " _Ohhhh… crap I'm dead._ " And his thoughts were basically confirmed by the face Rarity was shooting him.

"Child… be grateful I'm distracted keeping these monsters at bay right now, or you would know personally that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned," she growled at him. "Now hurry up and call your sister!"

"Ok-ok, I'm on it!" he said, pulling the phone out of the pocket.

Back at Twilight's apartment, Pinkie was sniffing Fluttershy's hair with a heavenly expression on her face. "I'm serious Shy, what kinda shampoo do you have to use for your hair to smell like fruit and honey? Smells like I'm breathing angel-burps."

"Thanks, Pinkie," she replied happily. "It's all thanks to my powers. Thanks to my nature power, I've learned a lot of things about flowers and wildlife. I've even managed to come up with my own perfume formulas based on extracts of flowers and fruits and stuff. Smells heavenly, right?"

"Yeah," said Pinkie, sticking her hair into her mouth. "Tastes heavenly too…"

"EEEK! Don't eat my hair, Pinkie!" she yelled. Twilight was still thinking about Rainbow's earlier words as their prismatic-haired Thunderer was leaning out the windowsill with her arms folded.

" _Rainbow can't be right,_ " she thought. " _Does Spike really see Rarity as more of a sister than me?_ " Then she remembered her behavior. " _Ah heck, I shouldn't really think it's too strange. Ever since I started this little crusade, I've really distanced myself from him._ "

"Hey Twilight, can I ask you something?" asked Rainbow.

"Sure, what's up?" asked Twilight.

"Do we really need Applejack on our team?" This question drew Pinkie and Fluttershy's attention away from the latter's hair, although the former still had it in her mouth.

"Why would you ask that, Rainbow?" asked Twilight. "Don't you want her to be our friend?"

"You heard her say it yourself," she replied. "She rejected you back then, even told you her opinion on friendship. We can't have a teammate who doesn't feel that friendship is valuable."

"But she's the sixth reincarnated Bearer of Harmony," said Twilight.

"So that automatically means her feelings here are the same as they were back then?" asked Rainbow. "Face facts Twilight, we all changed in the dimension-shift. Her change was a little more radical than ours. Remember what Zecora said? The Elements chose us in Equestria. Maybe now Honesty can choose someone else who has a spirit more similar to what it represents."

"No! I swore I'd never abandon a friend, if they've lost their way or not," said Twilight. "I know that if we all just work together, we can convince her to join us in time." Suddenly her phone started ringing. "Oh, it's Rarity. Hang on, I'll put her on speaker."

Once she pressed the button, however… "Twilight! We just got ambushed by monsters in the park! We need help!"

"Spike?!"


	40. Chapter 9 part 5

**Chapter 9 part 5**

In the park, Rarity was right; 3-on-1 wasn't easy, especially since the Timberwolves had broken down the wall and were charging her.

"Not so fast!" she yelled at one of them and trapped it between to large slabs she rose up from the ground. Another of the wolves got that a full frontal attack was probably not a good idea, so it quickly faked an error to get in an easy hit in her back, shredding her jacket before it and the first one jumped above her.

"Up top!" yelled Spike.

"Not on my watch!" she said, using her powers to shoot a boulder up out of the ground and knock them out of the air. " _I knew it. This is getting too complicated. One wrong move and we're both dead._ "

"You alright, Rarity?" asked Spike.

"Fine, it's just my jacket," said Rarity, looking at the shredded cloth. "All the same, I'm going to obliterate them for that."

"Good luck with that," Spike said honestly. "Doesn't look they took that much damage. This is gonna be hard."

" _He's right. That boulder alone should've at least mangled one or two of their limbs, but they're barely even scratched,_ " she thought, looking at the monsters.

" _Heh. Foolish girl,_ " thought Zecora. " _Did you honestly believe it would be so easy to destroy monsters of my creation? These Timberwolves are made from willow-leaf red quebracho, the strongest wood in this entire world. Not to mention that thanks to my spiritual energy, they can move freely themselves with little to no difficulty. You'll have to do better than that to best them, Rarity, let alone defend yourself from their attacks._ "

"Fighting blind is getting me nowhere," said Rarity. "If I can find the Discord Jewels, I should be able to attack them directly or at the very least remove them with the Extraction spell. Astral Vision!" But once she activated the spell, she was given a rather nasty surprise. " _What?! No Discord Jewels?!_ "

Meanwhile, Twilight and the others had finally made it to the park, but something was off. "Girls, doesn't it seem too normal today?" asked Fluttershy, and she was right; there were still people walking around the park. "Especially considering the fight?"

"Yeah, they're probably deeper inside," said Twilight.

"Twi, Everfree is one of the biggest on earth," said Rainbow matter-of-factly. "It's more like a forest really. It's gonna take us forever and a half to find them in there."

"I know," said Twilight as she took off running into the park with the others quickly following her. "Here's the plan; we'll head in further to transform. Once we're in there, I should be able to open the psychic link with Rarity and find her."

"Right!" the others said.

Rarity meanwhile was having trouble fighting the wolves and protecting Spike, so she came to a decision. "Spike, listen well! I'll cover you while you get back to your house and get the others."

"What?! No way!" said Spike. "I'm not leaving you here alone! I can help you!"

"Save it and just go!" snapped Rarity. "You'll only get in my way!" Spike was shocked by her snap, but he lowered his shoulders in relent.

"Right… Sorry…" he said as he jogged off.

" _Forgive my candor, Darling, but trust me it's for your own good,_ " she thought.

" _No! I won't allow my plans to be foiled this easily!_ " thought Zecora, shifting her thoughts, first to the unharmed Timberwolf and then the damaged two. " _You! Do not let that child escape! The two of you will attack Rarity… and this time, do not hesitate to destroy her._ " The wolves growled in affirmation as the first one charged.

" _Splendid,_ " thought Rarity, magic ready. " _A volunteer._ " Then just as she was ready to attack, the wolf bounded over her. She knew who it was aiming for in less than a second. "SPIKE!"

"Oh crap!" he yelled as the wolf fell toward him.

" _Can't toss a boulder at it,_ " thought Rarity. " _Even if I_ _ **don't**_ _miss, I risk hitting Spike._ " She grabbed her horn from its levitating position as she thought of something. " _Oh please let this spell work!_ " With that, she pointed out her left pointer finger and dropped to her knee. "Arrow of Light!" At the command, a large glowing bolt formed in her arms. One flex of a finger and the bolt shot out at the timberwolf, reducing it to splinters.

" _Ooh, smart move!_ " thought Zecora. " _The 'Arrow of Light' is purely based on speed, much like Stella Magna, but lower in power. And also like Stella Magna, depending on how much power you put into it, it can leave you very weak. And considering that Timberwolf actually_ _ **did**_ _die, you must've used a lot. But there is one more major drawback with that spell…_ "

"Nice shot, Rarity!" said Spike. Rarity simply smiled at him.

" _You lose sight of all other threats,_ " Zecora finished as if mentally prompting one of the Timberwolves to extend its claws. Once it had, the beast slashed them across Rarity's back, leaving deep bloody gashes, and making her scream in pain.

"RARITY!" called Spike in fear before he seized in pain from his connection to her and was forced to fall onto his hands and knees. Then the second wolf jumped onto Rarity and sank its fangs into her right shoulder, making her scream even louder. She was horribly weak, but still managed to see the first wolf was moving to attack Spike.

" _No… I-I won't let you hurt him!_ " she thought, extending her shaky left hand and clenching it. "Imprison!" At this command, the earth shot up around Spike and encased him, protecting from the wolf just before it got to him.

"Rarity… no…" Spike groaned. Further away, the other girls had all transformed and Twilight was trying to make contact.

" _Rarity? Rarity! Rarity, do you hear me?_ " she asked telepathically.

" _Twilight… please… help us…_ " Rarity replied weakly, telepathically showing Twilight a barrage of images of what was going on. " _Help… Spike…_ "

"What's the word Twilight?" asked Pinkie as she snapped out of it.

"Not good," she replied. "I know where they are but we gotta hurry! Follow me!" With that, she quickly ran out ahead with the others following.

Spike was still encased in the earth, feeling Rarity's pain and concern for him in his soul and the Fire Ruby. He remembered Fausticorn's words, and what Zecora had told him days ago. That he was Rarity's guardian. " _Sorry Fausticorn,_ " he thought, pulling the stone out. " _But I can't let her die…_ " He quickly pulled the stone to his chest. " _I'll do whatever it takes to protect her… Whatever it takes… for my love!_ " Once the ruby touched him, he felt a surge of power. The rage Zecora told him about flowed throughout his body.

" _Please Spike… forgive me…_ " thought Rarity, her magic faltering. " _I- I can't hold it any longer…_ " Suddenly the stone _and_ the Timberwolf exploded in a blast of green light and a loud scream. " _What… What's happening?_ " Even through the light and sparking lightning coursing around him, Rarity could see the Fire Ruby had embedded itself in Spike's chest and that his eyes and mouth were glowing as he screamed. Suddenly her Jewel started glowing and she felt a splitting pain in her head. "AH! What is this?" Even Celeste and Luna sensed it and they were terrified at the feeling. The headache hit Twilight and the others two and they screamed in pain as it hit them.

"Ow! What was that?" asked Pinkie. "Why are our Jewels glowing like this?"

"Oh no," said Twilight. "Celeste warned me about this. It's an Omega threat level! We have to hurry!" Out at Applejack's house, the Jewel of Honesty, which had somehow found its way to her house, started shining as well and Applejack got hit by the same headache.

"Sis! You okay?" asked Apple Bloom.

"Ugh! Feels like my head's gettin' clubbed by a railroad hammer," she replied, gripping her forehead. " _Twilight… What the hell's goin' on?_ " Back in the park, Rarity was stunned by what she saw.

"S… Spike?" she asked.

Zecora just laughed. "YES!" she bellowed, not caring about hiding anymore. "Have the winds of Tartarus announce his arrival!"

"What? Zecora?" asked Rarity, confused.

"To all souls that once dwelt in Equestria tremble at the presence of a literal tyrant lizard!" she yelled, looking at Spike's massive new muscles and green hair flowing down past his shoulders. "And by the setting of this day's sun, Celestia and Luna be damned for ever daring to have brought to this world… a Godkiller!"

" _God… killer?_ " thought a terrified Celeste.

"This power on the Bearers' island…" said Luna, sensing it. "I've never seen or heard such magic before in my life. What this being has is completely different. _It's… pure energy._ "

"Now Rarity, you shall witness the strength of your beloved beast…" said Zecora. "Attack him, my pet!" The Timberwolf's eyes glowed red as it growled. "And do not hesitate to rip him apart!"

"What?!" asked Rarity as the wolf charged Spike, growling ravenously. "SPIKE!" Suddenly, the Fire Ruby shone green, as did Spike's eyes as he gave a savage growl and sent a powerful punch straight through the wolf's head, destroying it.

"HAHAHA! Marvelous!" laughed Zecora.

" _Impossible!_ " thought Luna shocked. " _This being's power doubled in less than a second! What is the cause of this? Who… who is this new enemy?_ "

"Brother…" said a terrified Celeste.

"S… Spike…" said a worried Rarity.

"RRRAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!" Spike bellowed, roaring like a full-grown tyrant dragon as the vague visage of one appeared behind him. This would be a challenge…

 **To Be Continued…**

 **Sonic Prime: Cue the Dragon Ball Z jokes! Seriously, look at the actual page and tell me, to my face, that Spike doesn't look kinda like Broly in this form. I dare you. Anyways, sorry to leave you guys on such a huge cliffhanger, but that's how the story was written. Wanna complain about it, take it up with mauroz. But still, given this, I** _ **know**_ **Chapter 10 is gonna be awesome.**


	41. Chapter 10 part 1

**Chapter 10 part 1**

 _We are all prepared to face whatever threat places the lives of those we love in danger. Sometimes, one doesn't even know that to be true until said moment arrives. But there's one thing we almost never think about; what if that threat **is** a loved one? Would you be prepared to destroy what you hold most dear in your life for the good of others?_

The girls quickly ran through the park to try and reach Rarity after the headache faded, though it still left some time for Rainbow to ask a few questions. "Cmon Twilight, don't leave us in the dark here. What did you mean by an 'Omega threat level'?"

"While I was out of town, Ms. Zecora didn't just heal me." Twilight explained. "She taught me a few spells too. She even told me some stuff about Ancient Equestria, including the Jewels of Harmony; she said that their power came about before the creation of Equestria and no evil could ever defy it, much less defeat it."

"Wait a sec, if Harmony is that powerful, then why have we been having such a hard time beating certain monsters?" asked Rainbow.

"Because our current bodies can't handle all the power the Elements have to offer." Twilight explained. "That's why they gave us this leveling system; so we could gain access to more power with every level. But most importantly, she told me that there are sometimes threats that possess powers equal to or even greater than that of Harmony. She called them Omega-level threats. Whenever those sorts of enemies show up, the Jewels warn us with a headache and a bright glow, like this."

"What are you saying, Twilight?" asked Fluttershy.

"I'm saying that whatever Rarity's facing right now, it could be the most deadly enemy we've ever faced as of now," Twilight replied.

"Oh crap, that's right. Rarity!" Rainbow resolved and quickly flew on ahead. "Catch up guys!"

"Good luck!" Twilight yelled after her.

Out on the battlefield, Spike was still growling like a monster after having punched that last Timberwolf to splinters. Rarity stared in amazement and confusion at her young friend until she was dragged from it by Zecora's laughter.

"Fascinating, is it not, Rarity?" she asked. "The power Spike possesses now… And I still have one of my pets to use." With that in mind, she turned to the beast itself. "Charge, my pet! Show no mercy!" The Timberwolf did as it was ordered and charged Spike, actually managing to stagger him with the tackle.

"Why are you doing this, Ms. Zecora?!" asked Rarity.

"Come now Rarity, don't tell me you don't wish to see the full extent of Spike's power," Zecora smirked.

"But you're hurting him!" argued Rarity.

"Then if you truly care for him, the only way to ease _his_ pain is to make him feel _yours_ ," Zecora explained.

"What? How does that work?" Rarity asked confused, but still in minor pain from the claw-marks and the bite on her back.

"Remember what happened just before he destroyed that last Timberwolf?" asked Zecora. "When you yelled for him, you opened the wound on your back which made you feel more pain, which drew itself on Spike's soul, infuriated him and boosted his power."

"What? My pain… did that?" asked Rarity admittedly amazed.

"He can sense any expression you experience within your body, be it pain, pleasure or otherwise," Zecora explained. "And all thanks to the spiritual connection he forged with you, my dear."

"Wait, are you saying that… we…?" Rarity asked, breathing heavily in pain from the wound that had been brought back to her attention.

"Indeed. Back in Equestria, you were a white unicorn and he was a dragon wyrmling." Zecora explained. "And yet, despite the clear differences in age and species, he became obsessed with you to the point where he would do anything to be with the being who was, at the time, his most precious possession. That's how he was able to connect his soul to yours, knowing during desperate times when his love was in danger. What he didn't know was that the promise made was out of true love. And when you dare to use the most powerful and dangerous magic in _any_ universe, there are always secondary consequences. That connection itself made it so that no matter what place or form he would be forced to take, he would always be connected to the one he loved. Even if his heart belonged to someone else today, the promise he made all those years ago in the other world will condemn him to be your loyal guardian from now until the end of existence."

Rarity was truly touched by this and felt herself on the verge of tears. " _Spike…_ " Then something struck her. "But why now? Why didn't he transform any of the _other_ times I've been hurt in these battles?"

"Because, my dear, as much as he may have _felt_ your pain, he did not possess the key to awaken the strength of his past-self," Zecora explained. "The key that just so happens to be that Fire Ruby in his chest. Thousands of years ago, he sealed away when his greed overpowered him."

"Where'd he get it?" asked Rarity. "I've never seen it before."

"But surely you must remember the shape?" asked Zecora. "From that headband he gave you?"

" _Oh dear, that gold frame!_ " Rarity remembered. " _I knew something was supposed to go there._ " Tears started falling from her eyes as it came together. "Now I understand. He told me you gave it to him a few days ago. You knew Spike would keep the ruby. You caused this."

Zecora just laughed. "Even when confined to a human shell, a dragon's greed cannot be clouded." Unfortunately, it was now that Rarity noticed that Spike was getting clawed and bitten-at by the Timberwolf and he was barely even doing anything to fight it off. "Be swift, Rarity. If you don't stimulate his power to its maximum now, he will surely die by the claws of that beast of mine."

Rarity was unsure about this arrangement but she didn't want Spike to get killed, so she relented. " _This is going to hurt… But I can't allow his suffering to continue like this…_ " With that in mind, she moved her hand back to the wounds on her back, which were starting to scab over already and ripped one of them open, causing her to scream in pain. Once Spike felt this, the Fire ruby quickly boosted his power so high, he started growling again as veins bulged across his face.

Luna was still stunned by this beast's power from her island, but even more so now. " _Incredible! Another power-increase? What is this monster?_ " This power was quickly used as Spike reached a hand up to the Timberwolf's snout, cracked it in his grip and then ripped its head off with the beast's entire wooden spinal cord in tow.

" _Incredible. For wooden monsters, they were incredibly resilient._ " Rarity thought. " _To even destroy_ _ **one**_ _of them I had to use almost all my power. And yet Spike's ripped two of them apart like wet paper. This must be it… his true power._ " Then she saw Spike standing up, still holding the beast's parts in his monstrous grip, growling ferally. Then he turned his eyes to Rarity in intrigue, who only reacted in fear, though this decreased into concern as he approached her. "Spike…" Spike kneeled in front of her and lifted a hand to the side of her face. "Easy… We're both in fairly poor shape…" Spike seemed happy to be with his eternal love as he calmed down. "Don't worry dear. Here, let me help you get that ruby out." This was a very bad idea because as soon as Rarity's finger touched the Fire Ruby in Spike's chest, his eyes flared green and he quickly shot his hand to Rarity's neck and started crushing it, growling like the savage beast he was slowly becoming. "S… Spike, I… I can't breathe…!" Suddenly the Fire Ruby and the Jewel of Generosity flashed and gave Spike a silhouette image of his past life and his love of Rarity, making him quickly release his grip, allowing Rarity to fall to her hands and gasp for breath.

"Ra… ri… ty…" Spike growled, his voice coming through but sounding more… adult, almost. Rarity was stunned by hearing it, but she still looked up in awe.

"Fascinating!" Zecora smiled as she watched the interaction. "Despite all these centuries past, they were no limitation for him to know that the soul of his past love resides within this maiden."

"Rarity…" Spike growled, becoming clearer.

"So it is true…" Rarity wheezed, still getting over the choking. "You chose to be my guardian no matter where we were reborn, condemned to eternally be my protector. As an enslaved soul." She started sobbing now too. "This is the last thing I would've wanted for you. Why, Spiky-Wikey?! Why did you make such a promise?!"

Spike's expression softened as he watched his love like this. "Rarity…" he said, his voice clearing enough for him to sound like a normal adult version of him as he moved a hand to Rarity's face and started pulling it to his.

" _Why is my heart beating so fast?_ " Rarity thought, not knowing that the Fire Ruby was giving her some memories as well. " _This sensation… this sense of nostalgia… where do I remember it from?_ "

" _Blast! Spike's powers are dwindling as he recognizes her!_ " Zecora growled. " _This serves no use to me if I wish to know the true limit of Spike's powers!_ "

Thankfully, she wouldn't have to worry about that as just before Rarity kissed him… "GET AWAY FROM HER, YOU MONSTER!" Rainbow shouted as she rocketed over. "Lightning Punch!" Her fist was surrounded by electricity and she quickly used it to punch Spike away from Rarity, but it barely did more than leave a small scratch on Spike's face… and piss him off as he growled at Rainbow. "You'll pay for hurting Rarity, you damn freak!" Lightning quickly crackled around her first two fingers before she pointed them at the beast. "Thunderbolt!" As the lightning crackled around Spike, he growled and roared in pain.

"Rainbow, please! Stop hurting him!" Rarity yelled, just before she noticed Fluttershy healing her.

"Don't worry Rarity. Give me a few seconds and you'll be good as new." she insisted.

" _Heh-heh-heh…_ " Zecora thought. " _Very nice timing, Rainbow. For a second there, I forgot how important Friendship is… to light the flames of Rage and Greed._ "

"Give it up, monster!" Rainbow yelled, thunder still crackling from her hand. But then Spike simply flexed and dispelled from around him. " _No way! My Thunderbolt was enough to stun one of that hydra's heads! How's this guy shaking it off?!_ "

"Rainbow, use Lightning Rod to paralyze him!" yelled Twilight. "Once you have him paralyzed, I'll finish him off with the Stella Magna!"

"Okay, I know it's rich coming from me, but don't you think that's overkill?" asked Rainbow.

"If this really _is_ an Omega-level threat, it might be best to end this as soon as possible," Twilight argued.

"Well, can't argue with that." Rainbow shrugged. "You got it. Once I have him still, he's all yours."

"Rainbow please, don't attack Spike!" Rarity yelled.

"WAIT, WHAT?!" Fluttershy and Twilight asked.

"I'm sorry, can you run that by me again Rarity?" Rainbow asked, frozen in awe.

"That's Spike?!" asked Pinkie… before thinking some R-rated thoughts. "Mmm… well, doesn't _he_ look tasty?"

"Not the time, Pinkie!" Twilight yelled at her before turning back to Rarity. "Rarity, you're kidding right?"

"I wish I was," she replied. "Believe me; that _is_ Spike. We got cornered out here by a few wooden wolf-golems. I tried my best to take them down, but I only managed to defeat one before I had to seal Spike in a stone cocoon. But when I couldn't resist them anymore, it exploded and Spike emerged as… that."

"Rarity speaks the truth, Twilight." Zecora gloated from above. "You should all tread cautiously. He is no longer the small, kind Spike you knew."

"Ms. Zecora?" Twilight asked, severely confused.

"Now there is only a monster, filled with rage and unholy power." Zecora finished.

Twilight stared at her now _gargantuan_ little brother with fear in her eyes, though this quickly turned into concern for her family. "I won't leave you like this, Spike!"

"Don't get too close, Twilight! You haven't seen what he can do in that form! He's incredibly aggressive!" Rarity warned.

"That's my brother we're talking about here Rarity," Twilight argued. "I know that if I talk to him, he can see reason."

"I'll keep you covered, just in case," said Rainbow, hovering above.

"Don't you dare attack him anymore, Rainbow! Understand?!" Twilight ordered.

"Do _you_ understand how insanely stupid this is?" Rainbow asked quietly.

"Spike? Can you hear me?" Twilight asked the giant. "It's me… It's Twilight, your sister." Spike didn't reply. "You'll feel better soon, baby brother. Let me just get this gem out and we can go home."

"Wait, don't!" Rarity's warning came too late as Twilight had already touched the Fire Ruby, causing Spike to flare in rage again, his power increasing his muscles so much that what was left of his shirt exploded off him as he roared in anger.

" _Another growth in power!_ " Luna thought in fear. " _How can someone like this exist?_ "

It was clear from Twilight's expression that she was having an "Oh shit" moment in her mind as she watched this… though she wasn't watching it literally three seconds later as with one strong backhand, Spike twisted Twilight's neck to an unnatural degree amidst the sound of breaking bone and sent her flying away, stunning everyone else. "TWILIGHT!" She didn't hear them as her ears were bleeding, along with her nose and mouth. Her eyes went blank as her transformation deactivated and the Jewel fell from her forehead. This was… going to be difficult…


End file.
